


Faded Rainbows

by Panakot



Category: Trolls (2016), Trolls World Tour (2020)
Genre: Classical trolls, Country Trolls, Dark Ambient trolls, Fan theories, Funk trolls, I'll add tags as characters and things appear and happen, I'm calling TBDB Beat in this story cause it's a cute name for him, King Sheo, Mild use of swears in chapter 32, OC's - Freeform, Poor Trollex, Pop Trolls, Princess Myla, Rock Trolls - Freeform, Sorry angsty a bit, TW Graphic description of a dislocated arm, TW ptsd flashback, TW: Blood, Techno Trolls, The Guardian - Freeform, Trigger warning death, Why do I hurt those I love, and uh, trigger warning blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 34
Words: 88,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24043258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Panakot/pseuds/Panakot
Summary: King Trollex of the Techno trolls is the youngest of the Tribe leaders, but has already dealt with his fair share of hardships. When he looses his color and his love for his music, will he be able to get them back with the help of the other tribe leaders, or will he need to give up his crown for the sake of his trolls?(Crossposted to Fanfiction)
Relationships: Branch/Queen Poppy (Trolls)
Comments: 284
Kudos: 227





	1. Unprepared

King Trollex had always been a chipper tyke. No one could keep the kid from smiling, no matter what happened. Swam to fast and slammed head first into a coral? He’d sit on his dad’s fins while his mom bandaged his head, laughing all the while and talking as though he had one a great battle against the coral. When he got caught in a strong current and carried out to open water? He called it an adventure, and swam back home on his own, with a grin on his face.

His whole tribe knew him for his glowing smile and perky beat. 

This is why it shocked the whole tribe the day they saw their glowing boy cry.

Everything had seemed calm in the waters that day, so the King and Queen of the Techno trolls had decided to bring their young son to host his first Techno tribe rave. Prince Trollex had loved Techno music from the moment he cracked his egg. ¬He’d been the talk of the ocean since then to, having been born with rainbow patterning on his arms and colorful pixels on his tail.

He’d first heard his tribes beloved Techno music just a short time later, his parents throwing him a happy hatching day party, though it was small scale compared to the parties they usually hosted. He’d had a burning passion for music ever since that day, using every opportunity to try his fins and composing music like his parents.

Of course, he was no child prodigy when it came to Techno. Sure, he had all the right energy and the perfect amount of charisma, but he lacked in the technical and musical aspects. Try as he might, he would always toss aside his drafts, often not allowing anyone to see them. 

He didn’t want to disappoint his parents, or his fellow Techno Trolls. He wanted his first song to be the best it could be! He was often cooped up in his room, and it was one such night that his parents came to him, peeking into his room to see him glaring at his writing materials. 

The queen smiled sweetly, looking over at her husband and nodding. They knew Trollex was going to be a great king one day, but for now they needed to convince him that he needed to take a break. The king cleared his throat, and suppressed a chuckle when Trollex let out a startled squeak, scrambling to hide his writing materials and any scrap he could reach. “M-Mom! Dad! What are you two doing in my room?” He tried and failed to nonchalantly shove some of the discarded kelp under his bed.

The queen hid a giggle behind her palm before she spoke. “My dear little Glow guppy, shouldn’t you take a break?”

With a nod, the king swam into his son’s room, dipping to pick up a piece of discarded kelp. “Right. Son, our music comes from our experiences, but you don’t have any to draw from.” He chuckled as Trollex snatched the kelp from the King before he could read the contents. “Why don’t we three go on an adventure together?” He reached out, gently touching Trollex’s digital heart, eliciting a tickled laugh from the young Techno troll. “What do you say?”

Trollex looked between the hopeful faces of his parents, and broke out in a grin. “Alright, I could use a break, let’s do this!” He swam forward, pulling his parents into a hug. “Thanks mom, dad.” 

It didn’t take long for the royal family to gather what they needed, though the King and Queen were now in a heated discussion on whether or not they’d need the king’s saber for a family outing. 

The queen roller her soft blue eyes, crossing her arms as she flicked her tail at her husband. “Why do you need it? It’s not like we’re going to run into anything that can hurt us, we’re not going far!”

“No, it’s best to bring it whenever we leave our reef, a shark can show up anywhere, even just outside the barrier!” The king protested, his arm waving through the water to gesture to the coral surrounding them.

The Techno troll ancestor, when they fled from the Pop trolls with the Techno string, had been smart in choosing a new location for his tribe. They had found a naturally occurring barrier reef system in the deep ocean, with the added bonus of being a breed of coral that had LED like properties. Since that time, the tribe had bred and carefully monitored the growth of their reef, ensuring that natural predators had a very hard time getting in, as well as for the optimal light show.

Trollex sighed, not particularly surprised that this discussion had come up. His parents each fell on a different end of the parenting spectrum. The king was always overly cautious whenever it came to his wife and Trollex. He said the ocean was an unpredictable and dangerous place. 

His mother, the queen, on the other fin was always more lax, encouraging the king to allow Trollex some more freedoms and responsibilities the king had said were too dangerous or too soon. He was often the cause of discourse between the two, so he often stepped in to offer the tiebreaking vote. Sure, he was biased, but he was still the only tiebreaker.

And so, he swam towards his bickering parents, and set a hand on his father’s arm. “Dad, come on. I really don’t think we’ll need a sword! We’ll even keep the barrier in sight so we can swim back if anything shows up!”

The queen shot her husband a victorious grin, giggling as she watched him struggle to cling to the last strands of this argument before eventually relenting to Trollex’s puppy-dog eyes. The king groaned, pulling the sword and belt off of his body and hanging it back amongst the other royal swords. “Fine, fine! But if we run into a shark, don’t come crying to me about it!”

Trollex and his mom shared a quick high five, gathering their kelp bags before swimming for the door. Trollex called back after his father. “Come on, last one outside is a sea slug!” With that, he flicked his fins and darted out the door. He used his track skip, the ability of his people to travel faster than usual, called as such because it left after images behind them.

After a close race, eventually it was the queen that swam out of the front gates first, cheering and whooping as she swam in circles, celebrating her victory. “Whoop! I still got it, baby!” She spun around and grinned at her husband and child, both of which were panting as they leaned against each other to catch their breath.

Trollex laughed breathlessly, turning to his dad to whisper. “How does she have so much energy?”

The king chuckled, straightening himself as he stared admiringly at the queen. “Because she’s amazing.” He swam over, sharing a gentle kiss with the love of his life, who melted into the embrace with a content sigh.

The young prince laughed, letting out a sound of mock disgust. “Ugh, get a ROOM you two! Come on, we’re wasting time!” He spun around and swam out towards the edge of the reef. “Hurry, hurry!”

Both the queen and king smiled, following their son. The day seemed to be going great for the royal family, Trollex having taken to collecting fascinating looking rocks and shells he found on their trip. Even his father found a rather cool looking abalone shell, which had been chipped and worn away to look like a heart. He, of course, gifted it to his wife, who gushed over the sweet gift and her loving husband.

It had been a few hours of swimming through the neutral zone outside of the barrier reef, and Trollex was starting to have troubles keeping himself from yawning. This didn’t escape the notice of his overprotective father. “Maybe we should start heading back to LED castle, you seem tired Trollex.”

Trollex shook his head at that, and grinned at his dad. “No way, we’re having fun! Just a little longer, I saw something shiny over there and I want to check it out!” He flicked his tail and darted off in the direction of the light he spotted. 

Realization seemed to hit all the parties at different times, the first being the king, who swam after his sun in a panic. “Trollex no, wait!”

The queen was next, her eyes widening as she chased after her husband. “Trollex!”

At last Trollex realized, but too late. The glow that had attracted him suddenly lunged forward, revealing itself to be the bioluminescent organ the sharks in the area had, which they used to attract prey. 

And Trollex was prey.

The young prince’s eyes widened when he saw the pearly white, dagger sharp teeth coming at him fast, and he found himself rooted in place. He closed his eyes, not wanting to watch his own gruesome death.

He waited for the pain, or at least for the sudden end to everything. He wasn’t expecting a set of cries and a tail fin to the face throwing him to the side. He was knocked into a tailspin, falling through the water head over fin. He brought himself to a stop a few feet away and spun to see what just happened.

He was greeted with a sight that he couldn’t understand right away. Where when had been just moments ago now had the tailfin of a shark passing through, wisps of red floating in the water as the shark turns to swim away.

The shark had gotten what it wanted, a meal.

Trollex watched the wisps or red floating through the water, his mind refusing to acknowledge what he was looking at. “Mom…? Dad…? Where…are you guys?” He looked around the area slowly, and caught sight of something small and colorful floating slowly downwards. He dashed forward to snatch it up.

He opened his hand to look at the object, and felt the water around him turn to ice. In his open palm sat the heart shaped abalone his father had given to his mother just a short while ago. He turned his gaze back towards the ever thinning cloud of red. Soon it would look like the rest of the water. Dark and empty.

He clutched the small shell to his chest, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes as he forced his signature grin. “C-Come on guys, this isn’t funny… come on out! I-I don’t…I don’t like this joke…” His parents would swim out any second now, pull him into a hug, and tell him it was a really bad prank.

He floated there in empty water, waiting for them to come out.

They never did.

Trollex let out a small hiccupping sob, curling himself around the shell. The last thing he had of his parents from this trip. 

He didn’t know how long he floated there, unable to gather the will to move, to swim, or anything. At some point, he vaguely acknowledged feeling a fish nudging him, and eventually the tugging sensation of a current carrying him away. He couldn’t bring himself to look at where he was going.

He’d rather be where his parents were now.

He could hear someone talking to him, but he didn’t uncurl from his little depressed ball. He heard someone in the distance calling out to him, but he didn’t care. He felt a rush of water pass over him as someone pulled him from the stream, but after that he stopped trying to figure out what was happening, and eventually he found himself drifting off into an empty sleep.

Trollex hugged his blankets a little closer to himself, cracking his eyes opened slightly as he awoke in his room. “Mph… what happened…” He pushed himself up slowly, vague memories of what happened bubbling to the surface. He shuddered. “What a terrible dream…”

He pulled the covers off of himself and pushed himself off his bed, swimming out of the door to his room. He had to go find his parents and tell them about that nightmare! He hoped he never lost his parents; he was still too young for any of the responsibilities that came with being king. He needed his parents around.

He swam through empty halls, a little curious as to where everyone was. Usually there were other trolls swimming through, most often having requested an audience with the king and queen, or offering help or needing shelter. The royal family had always kept the LED Palace open to their people.

So why was it so empty today?

After searching fruitlessly for a while, he eventually found himself swimming through his mother’s garden. That’s where he spotted the first thing out of place. There were two young Techno trolls sitting on a bench, holding and consoling each other. 

Trollex hated seeing other Trolls upset, so he put on his best smile and swam forward. “Hey there, you guys! Is everything alright?”

The two perked up, sharing a look of distress with each other before turning their attention back to Trollex. “Err, Trollex, what are you doing out here?” 

“And smiling for that matter.” The other said, earning an angry punch on the arm from his companion. “What?! You don’t find that messed up? Loses his parents and are all smiles a few hours later?”

Trollex blinked a bit. “W-What? Um, what are you guys… talking about…? Mom and dad aren’t in the palace, sure, but I didn’t LOSE them… they’re probably just hiding somewhere!”

The kinder troll gave Trollex a gut wrenching look of sympathy. “Oh no… Trollex, did you forget…?”

The young prince laughed nervously, his stomach turning to ice. “W-What are you talking about? Forgot what?”

“The king and queen never came back with you…”

His eyes widened, details filling in the gaps in his memory. He clutched his stomach, feeling sick. “I-I… that s-shark… it really happened… they…” He looked at the two trolls in front of him. “They’re gone… and it’s my fault…”

Trollex let out a sob, clutching at the sides of his head. “M-Mom and dad a-are gone… it wasn’t a nightmare, it…” The two trolls swam forward, the kinder one pulling Trollex into a gentle embrace, the rougher swimming off. “I’ll go find someone, keep him calm!”

He was still so young, not even out of his teens yet, and suddenly he was alone in the world. His parents were gone, and it was his fault. He clung to the troll that had their arms wrapped around him, desperate for comfort, for grounding as he floated in this dark place. He didn’t want to be alone.

It wasn’t long before some of the palace guards and a doctor came back with the troll that swam off earlier. Luckily by that time, the nice troll had gotten Trollex to calm down, reduced now only to small hiccups and the occasional sniffle. 

He looked up as the doctor approached him, smiling in that practiced way they do to ease their patients. “Trollex, I’m glad you’re awake. We’ve all been worried sick… No one is sure what happened, but we know you came back in one of the currents coming in from the deep ocean…” 

He nodded numbly, staring down at the too bright colored stripes on his arms. “Mm…I don’t remember much after, but… Mom, dad and I, we were… we had gone out, so I could get some inspiration… There was a l-light and I… I swam to it… It was a shark…it… they…” He covered his face, sobbing into his hands. “My parents… the king and queen…. They’re dead…”

Silence reigned over those gathered in the garden, the only sounds coming from the miserable new king, who was in no way prepared to lead his people alone.

The Techno trolls did their best to help their new young king, one of the guards present offering to grab some comfort food, and quickly swimming off. Another muttered something about a fish and swam away next, leaving the remainder to try and figure out what to do with that they had just learned.

When the prince had returned alone, the tribe feared the worst, but to have it confirmed didn’t make it any easier. Slowly, the gathering dispersed further, and by the time the two guards from before returned, Trollex was sitting alone, exactly where they had left him.

The guard that left first huffed, holding onto a tray of food as he looked about in disapproval. “I can’t believe this! Just abandon a poor kid alone while he’s grieving… what jerks!”

The second guard shook his head, a sleeping fish held in his arms. “Can you blame them? No one is sure what to do…”

“Still… Trollex needs support! He’s hurting to… probably more than anyone else.”

The two fell silent, closing the distance between themselves and Trollex. “Here, I brought a bunch of different things from the kitchen…” He set the platter down on the bench next to Trollex, giving the poor troll a gently pat on the back. “Eat, it’ll make you feel a little better, I think.”

“Did someone say food?” The little green fish in the other guard’s arms suddenly spoke up, causing the guard to let out a yelp and drop it. It righted itself quickly and swam over to Trollex. “Oh, you’re awake! Good! I saw what happened back there with the shark. That sucked! When you balled up I figured ‘Hey, that doesn’t look good! I should get them back inside the reef!’ and now, here we are! I’m a beat button fish, by the way! It’s nice to meetcha!” 

Trollex blinked a bit, looking like a deer in headlights as he stared at the hyperactive fish, watching as it dove forward into the food brought by the first guard, much to their evident dismay. “H-Hey, that’s for the prince!”

Trollex smiled slightly. “No, let him eat… sounds like he got me back here in one piece…” 

The little fish looked up at Trollex with sparkling eyes. “Wow, really man? Thanks! It’s slim picking outside the reef, y’know!”

The young prince let out a soft chuckle. “How about you stay with me, little guy.” 

That got the little fish zipping about Trollex’s head, whooping and laughing. “Whoop! This is awesome; I got a new best buddy!”

He laughed, reaching out and catching hold of the little button fish, pulling him a little closer. “You said you’re a button fish, but do you have a name?” The response in the negative, so Trollex hummed softly. “Well, since we’re best buddy’s now and all, if I’m going to lead my trolls, I need someone to help me out… how about I call you Beat? You know, short for beat drop button…” He poked at the little fish’s lack of nose. “How does that sound?”

Beat looked Trollex over quickly. “You’re a Techno troll, right? That means you play Techno? That’s awesome! Ooooh, I’d be happy to help!” Beat pulled himself from Trollex’s hands, swimming energetically around the young princes head. 

Trollex laughed softly, watching the excitable fish. He had managed to get a little light back in his life. He’d be ok, so long as he could keep his people and his friend safe from now on.


	2. Bleeding colors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex does his best to help his tribe recover after the rock tour, but has forgotten to care for himself. He falls deeper and deeper into darkness, can he pull himself back out before its to late?

King Trollex had just finished a day helping the Techno Troll tribe repair his DJ booth and the portion of Techno reef destroyed by the rock trolls. He heaved a tired sigh, turning with a flick of a fin, to gaze up at the DJ booth he loved so much. It would take months for the coral to heal naturally, even with the Techno trolls looking after it. 

Beat swam up behind him, using one of his fins to nudge Trollex in the arm. “Hey, mopey fins, what are you staring at?” The fish looked up at the DJ booth as well, tilting slightly in the water. “Looks like the repairs are going well, so why do you look like someone switched your pillow for a rock?”

The young king winced a bit. “Am I that easy to read?” He got a nod of confirmation from his friend and let out a defeated sigh. “Alright, yeah, I guess I haven’t been doing great…” He glanced around at the Trolls working around him. “I don’t want to talk about it here, though. I want to head back to the LED Palace. I’ll tell you along the way…”

Beat leveled a suspicious look at his friend before nodding. “Yeah, alright. Let’s get going then.” 

The two began to make their way towards the castle, saying goodbye to any that waved to them, though Beat could tell that Trollex’s mind was elsewhere. Once they were finally free of other trolls, the young king finally spoke. “It’s my fault, Beat…”

That got the little fish to pause, looking at Trollex’s back as the troll swam on ahead. “What do you mean, Trollex? What happened?”

Trollex balled his fists and hunched forward, his arms shaking and fins twitching. “So many of my people got hurt all because I wasn’t strong enough to stand up to Queen Barb…” He shook his head, his body sagging as the tension of anger left him, replaced with dripping self-loathing. “Heck, I was the first she targeted… If I had been stronger, I could have saved everything… Everyone would still have their strings…”

Trollex glared down into the dark depths beneath him. Those cursed strings. Ever since their creation they had done nothing but misery and distance between the trolls. He was glad they were gone! It was their fault so many got hurt… 

It was music’s fault.

He shut his eyes tightly, clutching at his heart as it pounded in his chest. It felt as though it was about to burst! He could tell that Beat was shouting something at him, but he couldn’t make out the words through the sound of blood rushing through his ears. 

And just as quickly as it had come, the pain vanished. It was replaced with cold, profound nothingness. He opened his eyes slowly, distantly registering Beat’s gasp. He looked down at his arms, and noted dully that the colors of his arms were varying shades of greys and blacks. He looked over at Beat, who was staring on in horror. “I’ve… I’ve lost my color…”

“Ok, ok, don’t panic, Beat! Keep it together; you gotta keep it together…!” Beat swam in panicked circles around Trollex’s room, which they had managed to get to without getting spotted. He paused often in his panic to stare worriedly at Trollex, watching as the young king stared blankly out the window, lounging in a chair near his writing desk. “Ooooh, Trollex….!” And thus he’d begin the panic cycle all over again.

This repeated several times before he managed to calm himself enough for rational thought. “Trollex, you’ve lost your color…! I can’t believe it, you of all trolls…! What can we do, we have to get you back to normal!”

Trollex continued to stare out the window, speaking quietly. Just enough for Beat to hear clearly in the quiet castle. “No. We have to worry about the Techno trolls… They’re hurting, I have to take care of them…”

Beat glared at Trollex. “How can you take care of them if you can’t even take care of yourself?” He shouted, hoping the volume would help get it through Trollex’s thick skull. 

He flinched, his eyes narrowing as he looked over at Beat. “So what do you suggest then? Leave our people to fend for themselves? No troll in this place has dealt with this in living memory. I’d have to go and talk to a tribe that has.” He returned to staring out the window again. “I’ll stay and take care of them. It’s the least I can do for letting them down already…”

With a frustrated groan, Beat stormed out of the room, kicking up swirling currents in his wake. 

Trollex didn’t acknowledge his friends departure, staring into the deep darkness just outside of the palaces ever present glow. He often found himself staring into that darkness nowadays. Sometimes, he felt it tugging at his heart, trying to drag him into its cold embrace.

He always pulled away from the sensation, throwing himself at whatever task he needed to complete. In this case, that was the issue of caring for his trolls. 

He paused.

Was Beat right? How could he take care of them, if he felt so empty? He couldn’t even find his hearts song, the beat his life had always followed. He felt hollow. Quiet. He pushed himself out of his chair and squeezed himself out of his window. He couldn’t protect his tribe right now, not as he was, so he had to fix himself. He needed to go and see a tribe that knew about the loss of one’s heart song and color.

He paused, blinking a bit. Which tribe HAD dealt with this before? He hadn’t delved very far into recent troll histories, but he did remember hearing something about the pop trolls suffering a mass color loss recently. That settled it; he’d go and see Queen Poppy and King Branch.

He flicked his tail and tried to use his track skip ability, blinking and staring down at his tailfins. “What? I can’t use track skip?” He huffed. “Clams… I’ll just have to swim there…” He closed his eyes, trying to pull up a map from memory. “The pop trolls are far inland, but I can get there a bit quicker if I use the river system…”

He nodded, having decided upon his course. He propelled himself forward with a deft swish of his tail, narrowing his eyes a bit against the current as he reached it, letting it sweep him up and carry him towards the shore. The easy, steady journey gave him plenty of time to think. 

And so he did just that. His mind chasing itself around in circles as it threw situation after situation at him in which he had made a mistake that cost another something. He gritted his teeth, shutting his eyes in a pathetic attempt to shut out the voices as well. 

When next he opened his eyes, he panicked. The current was about to throw him directly into an underwater cliff face. He threw up his arms, trying to protect himself as he was tossed from the currents rushing waters and smack into the rock wall ahead of him. 

He groaned softly, floating in the still waters for a moment as he regained his senses. Once he could see one of everything instead of two he tried to take in his surroundings. He noted that the water was far warmer than his home in the deep ocean, and figured that fact, plus the terrible taste in the water, meant he was somewhere around the far side of Volcano rock island. He swam to the surface, poking his head out and glancing at the surroundings on land.

He could see pop troll forest just ahead, and was rather shocked by how close he had already come. “Time flies, I guess… Well, time to go see the king and queen of pop…” He swam forward lazily, finding a shallow shore to pull himself onto. Once he was lying on the sand, he let out a sigh. He hated the adjustment period for his Flow ability to kick in, which allowed him to move through the air as he would the waters of his home.

After a few minutes of lying in the warm sand, he gave his fins an experimental flick, propelling himself a few inches above the ground. “Alright, ready to go.” He glanced around. He couldn’t use a jet stream to travel quickly when out of water, and without his track skip ability, he wouldn’t be able to avoid the natural predators in the area. He grumbled to himself a bit, and opted for staying up in the foliage of the trees. He knew that since Pop trolls lived in the area, any predators that ate them primarily would live on the forest floor.

His travels were slow, getting lost fairly often with no land markers. He eventually relented and risked the danger of the forest floor, just so he would be able to actually find the village in the first place. After a while longer, he began to wonder if he’d ever find the place.

He let out a startled squeak as he was suddenly yanked backwards, a look having closed around his waist. He let out a distressed cry when he realized he was stuck fast, held in a rope trap of sorts. “Who’d set a trap like this?!” He whipped his tail; doing everything he could to tug himself free. 

He quickly ran out of stamina though, falling limp within his bonds. “Great, like a fish on a line… how humiliating…”

He didn’t have to wait long to discover who had set the trap. He jolted in his bonds when he heard crunching leaves, the sound moving closer. “Clams…! I gotta get out of this…” He began to use his hands to tug at the bonds, but found himself only hurting his own tail. 

His ear-fins perked slightly when he heard a troll’s voice approaching, and one he recognized as well. “I know I heard something over here…”

Trollex turned his attention to the bushes as they began rustling. A moment later, a dark colored troll stepped from the foliage. “Ah, there it- w-what in the…”

The young king blinked in shock, staring at the troll in front of him, though the other was upside down thanks to his current position. “King Branch…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time skip to post second movie, with our little glow guppy making his way to the pop trolls for help! I have fun with Trollex, because he'd be the youngest king, at least in my mind. Techno is the youngest Genre, so I made him the youngest king. I dunno, kinda fits his peppy personality I think.


	3. Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Trollex manages to build a strong connection to King Branch.

“King Branch, is that really you?” King Trollex tilted his head, trying to get an upright view of the muddy blue pop troll in front of him.

Branch rubbed at his arm awkwardly before moving forward to untie Trollex. “I rather stick with Branch. The better question is, am I right? Are you king Trollex? Whether you are or not, what are you doing here in Pop troll village?

He hadn’t been prepared for how quickly Branch could get him down, so he fell to the forest floor in an undignified heap, letting out a pained squeak as he hit the ground. He sat up, looking up at Branch. “Of course I’m Trollex, and I’m here because I need help from the pop trolls…” He gestured to himself and his greyscale color scheme. “I lost my color, and I heard you all had a color loss incident a few years ago.”

The pop trolls eyes widened a bit, having just realized that the color playing off of Trollex’s scales wasn’t his own natural color, but the colored light filtering through flowers and leaves above them. Branch stepped closer, passing a critical eye over the aquatic troll. “You really have lost your color… Come on, to my bunker, we can talk there softly.”

Branch didn’t wait for a response, grabbing Trollex’s hand and tugging him along through the undergrowth. Trollex found he was thankful that he could keep himself aloft, it meant that neither had to expend much energy to pull him along through the air. As such, the two trolls arrived at the bunker quickly.

Once they were both in one of the deeper lounge rooms Branch had made, the pop troll began pacing across the room, while Trollex opted for resting his tired fins and sitting in one of the colorful bean bag chairs. Clearly Poppy’s contribution to the room.

Trollex absently watched Branch pacing, muttering under his breath as he seemed to go over some information in his head. The young king had to admit that the pop troll had a rather impressive ability to stop and think, unlike his overly peppy significant other. 

He watched as Branch finally seemed to have thought through his approach, now opting for sitting in a beanbag chair across from him. The pop troll waved a hand towards Trollex. “Are you going to explain what happened to you? Trolls don’t just lose their color in the bath tub.”

Trollex smirked a bit, enjoying the odd sense of humor. He began telling Branch what had been happening lately, and elaborated with his feelings when Branch asked. Living through it again was rough, and he had to do his best from falling into a downward spiral. Once he concluded, Branch gave a small, understanding nod.

“I think it’s lucky I’m the one who found you. You’re right, there was an incident a short while ago, one that had all the pop trolls lose their color. But of us all I think I have the right to claim a mastery of the subject.” He rested a hand on his own chest. “After all, I spent over 20 years without mine.”

His eyes snapped open in surprise, staring at the muddy blew king of the pop trolls. “You were… how did you get them back? And why did it take you so long…?”

Branch thought that through for a moment before he responded, though he sounded far away. “I shut myself off from the village. It’s the exact opposite of what I should have done… 20 years of isolation just turned me bitter and untrusting…” He smiled into space. “But Poppy helped me out. She helped me feel happy again and find my song.” He looked at Trollex, finally back in the here and now. “Do you have someone you like? Someone you can talk to?”

He looked down, staring at his dark grey hands. He thought about Beat, and how angry the small button fish had been. He wondered about how the fish was now? Had he come back and found Trollex gone? Would he be happy about that, if he was still mad? Or maybe he hates him now. The young king closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. “No… I… I don’t have anyone like that…” 

Branch hummed thoughtfully, looking Trollex over for a moment. He seemed to come to a decision, pushing himself up out of his chair and moving to another room. “Come on, over this way. I have something to show you.”

Trollex perked up, blinking owlishly as he pushed himself out of the beanbag, which he was starting to think had been slowly trying to eat him , guessing by how deep he had sunk into the comfy chair. He shot the innocent beanbag chair a curious look before following after Branch. He ooh’d when he reached the next room, marveling at the size and contents.

At a glance, it appeared to be a small library, though small was truly a relative term. He could have easily fit 20 trolls comfortably in here, and it was floor to ceiling, wall to wall books. He’d never admit it out loud, but Trollex did love books. He usually stuck with fantasy though; fact books always made his mind feel a bit numb.

He swam through the air, up to one of the top shelves to browse the section. It all seemed to be in alphabetical order by author. He paused, seeing a familiar looking spine and slipping it off of the shelf. “Branch, why do you have this? It’s a book written about us by a Techno troll…” He gave the other a sly grin. “You take an interest in us?”

Branch blushed, scratching at his cheek as he glanced away. “N-No! Well, ok, yeah, I did. But I swear it’s purely innocent! I wanted to learn more about the other races to help the Pop trolls get along with the others.”

That caused Trollex to pause, looking down at the cover of the book his parents always tried to get him to read as a tyke. “I don’t get it, Branch. Even when I met you, you seemed like you didn’t much like your tribe. Or anyone in general really.” He looked the land troll over. “You’re kind of sending mixed signals.”

With a sigh, Branch turned to the shelves, looking for a particular volume as he spoke. “I love my tribe and all the trolls here. Problem is, I spent so much of my life pushing them away, that now I don’t know how to let them in. They haven’t given up on me though, so I want to help them in any way I can, even if that is a very Branch way.” He grinned, patting his own chest. “After all, sometimes the Branch way can be a good way to.”

Trollex paused for a moment, looking down at the other. “What about…” He looked back at the Techno troll book. “What about… the Trollex way?” He hugged it, remembering his parents as they fussed over his education. “Even if I’m still a kid compared to the other rulers, could the Trollex way still work?”

Branch looked away from the books, his ears perking a bit when he saw Trollex close to tears. “Whoa, hey, Trollex, let’s go sit down for a bit. You look like you didn’t quite tell me everything.”

Branch reached a hand out, gently taking the grey aquatic troll by the hand and guiding him down to a nearby couch. Once seated, Branch moved about to make a hot drink. “Tea or coffee? I have hot cocoa here to somewhere.”

Trollex remained silent, keeping the book close to his heart, which was pulsing weakly. Branch moved about, finishing the drinks in silence as he allowed the young king time to think. Once finished, he offered Trollex a hot chocolate, complete with whipped cream and sprinkles on top. The drink took Trollex completely by surprise, but he accepted it anyway. 

“Um, Branch, no offense, but… Did you get, um… I think his name is guy diamond? Did you get his help with the toppings?” 

Branch laughed, shaking his head. “No, it’s just sprinkles. Poppy managed to find sparkly ones and insisted that whenever I need sprinkles, I use the sparkly ones.” He looked over at Trollex. “And you look like you need sugar.”

With a small laugh, Trollex nodded. He turned his attention to the cup, taking a caution sip.

His eyes lit up and he took another, then another. He let out a yelp suddenly, setting the cup down quickly and sticking his tongue out. “I burnp my pongue!” He let out a whine, fanning his tongue in an attempt to cool it off.

The pop troll laughed heartily, setting down his own cup of coffee so he wouldn’t spill it. When he got an indignant whine from Trollex, who still had his tongue poking out of his mouth, he had a hard time staying in his seat, clutching his stomach as he doubled over in laughter.

Trollex did his best to keep up his heartbreak that the hot cocoa had hurt him, but seeing the other troll brought to tears from his antics had laughter bubbling up inside of him. He snickered, and then dissolved into laughter right along with Branch. 

This continued for a while, whenever one would settle down, the laughter of the other bringing them right back again. At last Branch managed to calm himself enough to break the cycle, taking a deep breath and sighing as he slumped into his chair. “Man, I haven’t had a belly laugh like that in a while.”

Trollex whiled a tear from his eye, nodding. “Yeah, I hear ya…”

Branch smiled over at Trollex. “Haven’t laughed much lately, I guess?”

He shook his head, looking down sadly at the book resting on his fins. “Not since… not like that since my parents…”

The other troll tilted his head slightly, reaching a hand out to set it gently on Trollex’s shoulder. “Take your time… if you can’t talk about it now, then maybe later…”

With a deep breath, Trollex shook his head. “No, I came asking for help… you’ll need the full story for that, I think…”

And so, Trollex told Branch about his late parents, the former king and queen of the Techno trolls. As he spoke of their final family trip, Trollex reached up, pulling something from within his fiber-optic like hair. “This is the last thing I have of them from that day…” He held it out to Branch. “It’s an abalone shell my dad found… it was shaped like a heart naturally, so he gave it to my mom…” He looked down at the floor. “Abalone is the strongest thing we have in the ocean… strong enough to withstand everything… including a shark attack, I guess…”

Branch gave the other a sympathetic look. “Man, Trollex… You’ve been through the wringer… and how old did you say you were?” Branch took a sip of his coffee, giving the other a worried look. He knew Trollex was young as we was now, so this must have been hard-

“I’m 19 now.”

Branch choked on his coffee, spitting it out to the side in shock. “You’re only 19?! How? How old where you back then?”

Trollex hummed softly. “I was 15 when I lost mom and dad. Why? Are you ok?”

His jaw dropped nearly to the floor. “You… you were 15 when all that happened? And you’ve been king of your ENTIRE tribe, ALONE, for this long?”

He looked away, storing the abalone shell back in his hair. “I… Yeah, though I clearly didn’t do a very good job… Look what happened to my trolls with me in charge?”

Branch stared in stunned silence for a short while. “Wait, you mean the rock tour? Trollex, you’re still a kid! Or, should be I guess. You never got to be a kid after what happened… You had no one to help you. All the other kings had help, or were older than even former king Peppy.” He crossed his arms, seeing Trollex in a whole new light now. “I think you did the best you could. You should be proud of that…”

Trollex smiled slightly, looking over at Branch. “You really think so…?”

With a nod, Branch stood from his seat, setting down his coffee and carefully walking around the spill as he moved to clean it up. “Yeah! And I know just who to go see for a moral boost.” He finished cleaning, tossing the used paper towels into a nearby trash can.

“Let’s go see Queen Poppy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To curb any further questions, I'mma say this now. This is post movie 2, and since Branch finally got the.... guts, to tell Poppy he loved her, I took it one step further. You know the peppy pop trolls would die for a wedding between the power couple.


	4. A song to heal a heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy has always believed that music can help anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song : Bruno Marz- Count on me  
> Edited ever so slightly for the scene.

Branch had decided it would be wise to go through the quieter areas to get to Queen Poppy’s pod. Of course, that only lasted so long, since her pod was in the dead center of the village. At one point, Branch and Trollex stood in a bush together, bracing themselves for the last leg of their journey. The packed village square. Trollex let out a small whimper, looking up into the open sky over the pop troll’s heads. “I could always just… you know, carry you and go over everyone’s heads.”

Branch looked over at Trollex, and then shook his head. “No, we’d catch even more attention that way. Might be easier if I go through, and you go over. They’re used to seeing me walking around, but I still attract attention. I can keep them from looking up as you sleep over.”

Trollex shook his head. “Seems unfair throwing you to the mob…” 

Branch smiled a bit, though it was tense. “I just gotta make it quick, and so do you… Now go!” He pushed himself out of the bush and onto the busy street, walking with purpose straight for Poppy’s pod. Sure enough, several trolls spotted him, approaching to chat or in some cases, trying to drag poor Branch into an impromptu musical. 

Trollex slipped upwards into the sky, doing his best not to travel through open air too much. Everything seemed to be going well, both were over half way to Poppy’s pod, but a shout from below caught his attention. “Hey, is that a Techno troll?”

Sea slugs! He was spotted! He tried to dart into hiding nearby, but it seemed the damage had been done. He peaked out of his new hiding place, looking through the gathering crowd for branch. For a troll that was so different than the other pop trolls, he was shockingly hard to spot. 

Trollex found his eyes constantly drawn by the sparkly glitter trolls, or the other trolls in the crowd that were physically different from the others. He was starting to panic, wishing desperately for a distraction.

He blinked in surprise as he saw a small, glowing light appear on a troll’s wrist, coupled with a soft chiming noise. Soon more and more trolls had their wrists glowing. What happened next had Trollex questioning a lot of things at once. He watched as every single troll that had gathered started to randomly hug each other! 

It was then he spotted Branch, having managed to pull himself from the impromptu hug pile and was now making a beeline for Poppy’s pod, a glowing light emanating from his wrist as well. Trollex pushed through the foliage of his hiding place, diving quickly to follow after Branch. 

The pod hardly had time to open to admit the two trolls before they were tumbling inside. Branch laughed softly as the Pod closed once again behind him. “Haha, wow! Saved by hug time again…”

Trollex looked down at the panting troll, tilting his head. “Hug time? Is that why everyone suddenly started hugging each other?”

Branch nodded, standing at last and dusting himself off. “Yeah, it started after we escaped the Bergens. It was to keep everyone’s spirits up after what we’d been through.”

“Wait, what are Bergens?” Trollex blinked a bit. He’d heard of the Pop’s losing their colors before, but nothing about Bergens.

Just as it seemed Branch was about to explain, Poppy seemed to spring from out of nowhere, landing on Branch with a thump and hugging him tightly. “They’re our friends! That’s what they are, right, Branchy?”

Branch huffed, but was grinning widely. “Yeah yeah, Poppy, they’re our friends now.”

Trollex glanced around the interior of the pod, wondering just WHERE Poppy had come from. Poppy seemed to finally notice the other guest she had in her home, gasping sharply as she stood, running over and pulling Trollex into a tight hug. “Ohmygosh, a guest! Branch, why didn’t you tell me you were bringing a new friend for hug time! Oh this is great! I’ll get cocoa!” And with that, she was off like a shot to another room. 

The young king floated there, stunned into absolute silence as Branch picked himself up from the floor, not seeming anywhere near confused or distressed enough. “Um, Branch, where did she come from anyway?” With a shrug being the only response, he pressed a different question. “OK, uh, well, Poppy doesn’t seem to recognize me… What now?”

Branch waved off his concerns. “She’ll figure it out quick. She’s just excited about hug time.” 

As though on que, Poppy poked his head back into the main room, looking quizzically at Trollex. The two stared at each other for a few moment, before Poppy cried out, pointing at him. “KING TROLLEX?!”

Trollex looked between Branch and Poppy, giving the former an incredulous look as he gestured to Poppy. Branch just smiled and shrugged, shaking his hand. He had stopped questioning Poppy a while ago.

By the time Trollex had returned his attention to Poppy, he found her directly in front of him, nearly scaring him out of his scales as he jumped a foot in the air. “Holy mackerel! How’d you get there so fast!?”

Poppy hushed Trollex with her own questions. “Why are you here? And why are you grey? Oh no, did you lose your color? How’d it happen?! What’s wrong, are you ok? Do you want some hot cocoa?”

Trollex put up his hands in a placating gesture, floating back a pace to get a little room between him and the hyperactive troll. “Erm, for starters, what is with you guys and cocoa? Second, the color problem is the reason I’m here.” He sighed, giving the other a sad look akin to a kicked puppy. “I need your help, Queen Poppy… I need my color back, and my song… so I can be a good king for my trolls. They deserve that much.”

Poppy looked Trollex over quickly, before coming to a decision. “Alright, we’ll help you! I got Branch’s color back, I’m sure I can help you! OK, what worked for Branch…Well, I don’t think getting locked in a pot about to be eaten with your entire tribe is an option…hmm…”

The young kings eyes opened wide and he gave Branch a questioning look. Branch only shrugged, which was NOT the answer Trollex was hoping for. He was starting to think that the pop trolls were a few buttons short of a mixing table.

He watched as a small bug floated in through the window to land on Poppy’s head. To his confusion and amusement, Poppy seemed to get an idea just as the bug started to glow like a lightbulb. “That’s it! Music makes everyone happy!” She ran for the front of the pod, which obediently opened to let her out. She stood at the top of her steps, her arms thrown open wide as she addressed her trolls. “Who’s up for a dance party?”

Every troll in the square seemed as though they had been waiting for that very que, all cheering loudly as they began a somehow impromptu and still perfectly choreographed song and dance number.

If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea,  
I'll sail the world to find you

Poppy began with an upbeat tune, yet it was somehow still heartfelt. Trollex felled his heart pulse excitedly. He’d never seen a performance by the Pop trolls on their own.

If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see,  
I'll be the light to guide you

He squeaked when his vision suddenly went dark, only to quickly discover that it was Branch, who had snuck behind him and covered his eyes. When he opened them again, he looked down to see the Pop trolls grouping off a bit into their usual friend groups, singing along to the song. 

Find out what we're made of  
When we are called to help our friends in need

Poppy and Branch each took one of Trollex’s hands, guiding him gently down to the gathering of Pop trolls, who parted to allow them into the middle.

You can count on us like one two three  
we’ll be there  
And I know when I need it I can count on you like four three two  
you’ll be there  
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah

Trollex held a reclaimed hand over his heart, feeling the beating pick up to an excited pace as it matched the upbeat tone of the music. He watched the trolls around him dancing along to the beat, Poppy and Branch trying to encourage him to join.

Whoa, whoa  
Oh, oh  
Yeah, yeah

Trollex took a deep breath, and began to sing. He didn’t understand entirely how he knew what to sing, but it came to him naturally.

If you tossin' and you're turnin' and you just can't fall asleep  
I'll sing a song  
Beside you  
And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me  
Everyday I will  
Remind you

He spun around, floating a bit higher in the air. He felt warm inside, warmer than before.

Ooh  
Find out what we're made of  
when we are called to help our friends in need  
You can count on us like one two three  
we’ll be there  
And I know when I need it we can count on you like four three two  
you’ll be there  
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah

Trollex, Branch and Poppy sang the chorus together, Trollex’s voice taking on his tribe’s digital tone, not dissimilar to the voice Glitter trolls often sang with. This didn’t go unnoticed by Guy diamond, which pushed himself forward and sang along with Trollex. The young king grinned, singing with more passion now.

Oh, oh  
Yeah, yeah  
You'll always have my shoulder when you cry  
you’ll never let go  
never say goodbye  
you know you can  
Count on us like one two three  
we’ll be there  
And I know when I need it I can count on you like four three two  
and you'll be there  
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah  
Oh, oh  
you can count on us 'cause we can count on you

Trollex slowly lowered himself back down to eye level with the other trolls, panting softly to catch his breath. He had gotten into the song, and had really sung his heart out. Once he caught his breath, he smiled softly, enjoying the afterglow of all the pop trolls congratulating him and everyone else on a good job. He could feel their love for their music and each other.

He felt another flutter in his heart, and set his hand over it, feeling it beet soothingly against his chest. Poppy approached him from behind, patting him on the back. “Good job, Trollex! You’re—OHMYGOSH TROLLEX YOUR COLORS!”

That seemed to catch all the trolls’ attention, Branch managing to get closer as they all looked at Trollex’s now pink heart. He looked Trollex looked himself over from tail tip to hair tip, but the only color that had returned was the parts of him with pink coloration. A few pixels on his tail and his pink heart adding a strange contrast to his otherwise grey pallet.

He looked between Poppy and Branch, who seemed as lost as he was. Branch stepped forward, speaking quietly. “Let’s get back to my bunker; I have to read into this… I’ve never heard of only one color coming back…”

As they left, Trollex realized he was officially the talk of the town, though no one could figure out who he was with his colors lost. They thought he was just a random Techno troll that came to town.

Once they were safely back in Branch’s bunker, the troll in question began practically jumping from shelf to shelf, grabbing books and throwing them on the table before running back to get more. He seemed to be pulling every single book that had some reference to color loss, Techno trolls, or anything similar. 

Soon Branch had the table piled full of books, Trollex spotting the familiar one from earlier and grabbed it out of the pile. He held it close as Branch finally sat down, grabbing a book at random, titled ‘Troll color loss and what it can mean’. It was a rather thick book, but when he opened it, Trollex understood why. “Is that… a scrap book?”

Branch glanced away with a blush, but Poppy puffed out her chest proudly. “Yup! It’s how we record our information!”

Trollex glanced down at the familiar book in his hands and opened it. To his relief it was written as the Techno trolls usually did. He held the book up to show the two pop trolls, who seemed rather curious. 

The book didn’t have standard words, but instead used an audio visualizer style of taking information. It was certainly a colorful book, and it had soundly captured Poppy’s attention. “Whoa, is that how you guys write your books?”

With a nod, Trollex looked down at the pages. “For official things, yeah. Otherwise we find writing kind of impersonal. We prefer to exchange information in person, be it talk or our music. It makes writing music easier.”

Poppy let out an excited squeak, switching her places to press herself into Trollex’s side and stare into the book. “Can you read it for us?”

The young kind blushed brightly, staring down at Poppy as she peered into the book, and then looked up at him. “Pweeeeease?” 

He nodded a bit, knowing he couldn’t say no to that. “It’s just an old folk tale. It won’t take long.” He pointed to a picture of a digitized Techno troll above the writing. “It’s about a troll that was different from everyone else.”

He turned his full attention to the book in his lap. And began to read the story his parents would always read to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to slow down on writing. Help.


	5. A story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young trolls book may offer more information than expected.

“Once upon a time, there lived a little troll who was very different from all his friends. 

He had a friend named Oz, who was red.

He had a friend named Rae, who was pink.

He had a friend named Clint, who was purple.

He had a friend named Wolf, who was yellow.

He had a friend named Mau, who was blue.

And he had a friend named Dolly, who was orange.

All his friends were different colors, but he was all of the colors at once.

He was so different. Nothing was as colorful as he was. 

The young troll Started to feel sad. Why couldn’t he be normal? Why couldn’t he be someone else?

One day, the young troll sat under a tree. He looked up, and saw a rainbow just as colorful as he was. He had to ask the rainbow what it was like! ‘Oh mister Rainbow, what’s it like being so bright and colorful?’

The rainbow replied. ‘Little troll, don’t you know already? You have so many colors as well!’

The little troll shook his head. ‘I don’t want to be though, mister rainbow. All my friends are one color, why am I like you?’

The rainbow thought that over for a moment. ‘Do you really hate being as colorful as me? I can take your color away, if that’s what you want.’

The young troll was happy. He could be just like his friends now! ‘Oh, yes please, mister rainbow! Make me just like everyone else!’

And so, with a dash of rainbow magic, the colorful troll was nothing more than grey now. 

Happy, the troll sped off to tell his friends. First, he went to see the red troll Oz. ‘Where did you come from?’

He then went to see his pink friend Rae. ‘Oh my! Who are you?’

Next, he went to see his purple friend, Clint. ‘Do I know you?’

Wolf, the yellow troll was after that. ‘My word, why are you so grey?’

The blue troll, Mau, came next. ‘Hey, have we met before?’

Last was the orange troll Dolly. ‘You look familiar.’

The young troll cried out to his friends. ‘It’s me! Don’t you remember me?’

The friends at last realized it was the young troll.   
Oz laughed and stepped forward. “You don’t look right without red. Here, have some of mine!’

Rae was second. ‘No, he needs pink in him! I can share mine with you.’

Clint came forward to. ‘I have some extra purple, if you need it.’

Wolf smiled. ‘Everyone could use a touch of yellow; I’ll share what I have!’

Mau nodded. ‘You can have my blue, too! Never too much blue!’

Dolly crossed her arms. ‘I think you need Orange. I have plenty to spare.’

With all his friends giving him bits of his color, he looked the same as before! ‘Why did you guys give me your color? I thought you’d like me better with one!’

All the friends shook their heads. ‘We like you as you! And now you have a bit of all of us!’

And so, the little rainbow troll, with a bit of all of his friends, was happy at last, just the way he was.’”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is optional, as it's very short and written in the format of a children's book. Most of the pertinent info is in the next chapter, so don't worry to much.


	6. Friends old and new

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex decides that he wants to explore Pop village for a while, and makes some new friends along the way.

Trollex shut the book, looking down at his grey arms and his faintly glowing pink heart. “I don’t know why the little troll gave up his color, this sucks…”

Poppy looked at Trollex, and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes. She sobbed softly. He tilted his head slightly, arching a brow. “Err, Poppy, are you alright?”

She gave a little nod. “Yeah, that story was just so sad…!”

Trollex laughed softly, setting the book back on the table. Glancing over at Branch, who had a serious expression. The young king gave the dark pop troll a quisitive look. “What’s on your mind, Branch?”

Branch stood, beginning to pace. Poppy let out an excited noise, clapping her hands together. “Ooooh, he’s onto something!”

Indeed he was, and once his thoughts were in order, he turned to the two trolls. “We need to go see the other Tribes.”

Trollex blinked in surprise. “Um, why?”

Branch gestured to the book. “I remember a story a little like it from when I was little. There are small differences, but otherwise the same. Same colored troll friends, same progression… I think they were each a member of one of the core tribes. Pink was pop, you got that color back with us.” He pointed to the pink pulsing heart in Trollex’s chest. “Now we just need the rest of your rainbow.”

Poppy let out a happy cry, springing to her feet and quickly running for the exit. “ROAD TRIP! I’ll pack some bags!” 

With a shared look of concern, Branch moved towards another room. “Um, I’m going to pack some useful items. If you want you can hang out here or head up through the exit.”

Trollex hummed in thought. He rather liked what little he got to see of the little pop troll village so far, maybe exploring a bit more wouldn’t hurt? He pushed himself off of the couch and stood on his fins, before giving a little push off the ground and floating upwards. 

With a flick of his tail, he zipped up the exit tunnel and out into the open above ground. He winced slightly in the sunlight, glancing up to realize it was around midday. When he had first come to the surface, it was still dark. 

He found himself thinking back to Beat, and what he could be doing right now. He missed his little fishy pal.

“Trollex!”

He could almost hear his friend’s voice now.

“Trolleeeeeeeex!” 

He blinked, that sounded exactly like Beat, actually. 

“TROLLEX THERE YOU ARE!”

He turned just in time to get a fish to the face in the most literal of senses. He tumbled backwards head over tail before he managed to right himself. He shook his head to clear the dizziness before looking down, seeing Beat sobbing into his chest. He felt his heart tighten, seeing his friend so upset. He rested a gentle hand over the fishes head. “Hey, it’s alright Beat, I’m here, it’s alright… calm down, little buddy…”

Beat suddenly pushed away from Trollex, giving him a venom filled glare. “Oh don’t you ‘little buddy’ me, mister! Do you have any IDEA how WORRIED I’ve been? One second you’ve lost your color and are pouting in your room, next you’re GONE and NO ONE SAW YOU LEAVE?! WHAT THE HALIBUT MAN?!”

Trollex winced under the heat of his friend’s righteous anger, feeling rather like a child receiving a scolding from a parent. “Sorry, Beat…”

The little fish seemed about to continue his tirade, until he saw the soft pink heart beating in Trollex’s chest. “Trollex, your color…!”

He smiled softly. “Yeah, I got one of them back… It’s why I came to Pop troll village. I remembered that they dealt with this recently… I found out I’m a special case though, apparently.” He looked at his arm. “I have to go to all the troll tribes to get my colors all back… At least, that’s what Branch and Poppy think.”

Beat huffed softly, moving forward and settling himself in Trollex’s topknot. “Well, wherever you’re going, I’m going to.”

Usually, Trollex probably would have argued that. Right now though? He liked the sense of familiarity and home.

Home! 

“Beat! What about the Techno trolls? What are they going to do without either of us there?”

“Well, you should have thought of that before you left in the first place, coral for brains!” Beat was very clearly still angry.

“But I mean now, Beat. I figured you could handle questions, but if we both left unannounced, then they’ll find out in no time!” Trollex began to swim through the air in panicked circles. He had to go back to his people and protect them!

But what use would he be to them in this state?

He stopped dead in the air, looking down at himself. He couldn’t go back, not without all of his color and his music back. He let out a defeated sigh. “Fine, I guess we’re going on an adventure, little buddy…”

He felt Beat nestle a little deeper into his hair, and a short time later the little fish was snoring away. With a tender smile, Trollex began to head back to Pop Troll village. It might be good to talk with some other trolls, maybe even make some new friends!

As he finally made it back to the main portion of pop troll village, he came to the depressing realization that he was VERY much not ready for this. He was about to turn and leave again when he was cornered by two EXTREMILY shiny trolls. 

The larger of the two stuck out a hand, offering it in greeting. “I’m Guy Diamond; you’re king Trollex, right?”

A little caught off guard, he nodded, taking the proffered hand for a handshake. “Um, yeah… I’m Trollex, and this is Beat.” He pointed to the fish snoozing in his hair. 

Guy Diamond laughed, parting his own hair to show a tiny little sparkly silver troll within. “This is Tiny Diamond, my son.” He didn’t wait for Trollex’s startled response. “It’s nice to meet another troll with a singing voice like me!” To demonstrate, Guy sung a few line of High hopes to demonstrate. 

Trollex’s earlier questions were quickly forgotten upon hearing the others singing voice. “Whoa, a land troll with a voice like a Techno trolls!” He looked the other over again, more critically this time. “I didn’t know there were other trolls with different singing voices like us.”

The sparkly troll chuckled, nodding a bit. “Yeah, all we glitter trolls have it. There are a bunch of us scattered through the village, Pop trolls love their sparkles, after all!”

With a soft laugh, Trollex nodded. He dusted his hands together, watching as some glitter fell from his palms. “I noticed after that little musical number earlier.”

The two kindred trolls laughed together, becoming rather close before Guy Diamond realized something. “Oh, I should introduce you to the rest of the snack pack!”

Trollex tilted his head slightly. “Um, Snack pack? What’s that, a food you guys eat around here?”

That got a hearty laugh from the sparkling troll. “No, it’s the name we chose for our little group of friends. Come on, you’ll love them!” And with a tug, Trollex was suddenly off on an adventure to meet the Snack pack trolls. What could possibly go wrong?

He was about to find out the hard way.

Guy Diamond and him chatted as they made their way to a pod cluster a few trees over, the glittery pop troll pointing out features of the village that Trollex always had a question about. He stopped at one particularly bright and fluffy looking pod. “So, pop trolls live in these pods? They’re so… colorful?”

The glitter troll nodded and flashed a toothy grin. “Yeah, they’re really soft, too.” He pointed to a cluster covered in sparkles that shone in the nonday sun. “I live in that area, with some other glitter trolls.”

Trollex ooh’d and turned to continue following Guy Diamond, who had broken out in a jog. “Guys, look who I found!”

The Techno troll stopped at the crest of a hill, looking down towards the group Guy Diamond was running towards. What a motley bunch! From his vantage point, he could see a large blue troll, two cotton candy colored trolls connected by the hair, one soft blue, the other a gentle pink, a rather short one with long hair, Prince Cooper, who Trollex recognized easily, A troll that seemed entirely made of green hair and a set of feet, a short one with hair done up in pigtails, and a hot pink troll sitting atop a—  
“Is that a Wooferbug? I’ve heard of those!” Trollex darted forward, any reservation lost upon seeing the land creature. His passion for Techno had led him to research land based similarities in flora and fauna to the ones used to make the music in his undersea home. “I hadn’t realized how cute they were…!” He swam in a circle around the bug, which cooed up at him happily. He let out a happy squeak and darted forward, wrapping his arms around the insect and snuggling into its fur. “Ooooh, so soft…!”

DJ Suki had been sitting up on the Wooferbug the entire time, watching with bubbling amusement as the nearly colorless Techno troll fawned over her friend. “That’s DJ Stage Bug, and I’m DJ Suki. You’re that Techno troll that joined the dance earlier, right?”

Trollex only now seemed to realize he was surrounded by Trolls he barely knew, if at all, and had been nerding out over the Turntable critter. Apparently all the ruckus had at last woken Beat, who slowly floated out of Trollex’s hair. The young king quickly tugged the fish to his chest, looking around in a panic. “I-I uh, um… s-sorry, err, I got a bit…ex…cited…um…” 

Beat gave weak protest for a moment at being squished, but stopped quickly when he realized how scared Trollex was. He glanced up between the Troll’s gathered around them. They seemed nice enough… “Wait is that a Wooferbug?!” The little fish finally broke out of Trollex’s arms, darting around the Wooferbug and laughing. “Another critter! Cool! I’m Beat, what’s your name?” 

There was a stunned silence amongst the trolls, with Biggie being the first to break it. “So you have a critter friend to, mister Techno troll?”

Guy Diamond laughed, nudging Trollex in the arm. “Not just any Techno troll, Biggie, this is King Trollex!”

Trollex could have sunk into the ground and never come back up in hopes of avoiding the stunned looks all the other trolls leveled at him. Trollex started to slowly drift backwards out of the group. That motion seemed to break the spell and whatever dam that held back their questions. 

“Are you REALLY king Trollex?

“I thought you were colorful, you’re just black, white and pink!”

“What are you doing here in Pop village?”

“Are you single?”

“How are you floating in the air?”

“Are there other Techno trolls here to?”

It was Cooper that swept in to save the day, using his head to bump Trollex upwards, landing the now stunned young king on the Funk trolls back. “Sorry guys, be right back!” And with that, he dashed off, leaving a very confused snack pack behind, while Beat chased after him and a screaming Trollex, managing to slip into the young kings hair and hang on for dear life.

Trollex clung to Cooper’s neck as the Funk troll dashed into the foliage, keeping his head down to avoid branches. He tucked his tail in close, the fins wrapping around Cooper’s mid-section. It wasn’t long before they came to a stop.

Cooper slowly knelt down, panting softly to catch his breath. “Whooo… what a run! Um, King Trollex, you can let go now…” The techno troll shook his head, clinging a little tighter to Cooper’s neck. “Grck—not so tight man, you’re choking me!”

That startled Trollex into letting go, stumbling off of Cooper’s back and landing in an undignified heap on the ground, his fins flopping over his face. 

He tried. He really, really tried not to laugh, but the battle was lost the moment the fin slid off of Trollex’s face, and the Techno troll muttered a soft. ‘Ow’. Cooper collapsed next to the other troll, laughing cheerily as he tried to regain himself.

Trollex smiled a bit, admitting that he probably did look a little funny right now. He pushed himself into a sitting position, about to float into the air until he heard a familiar, soothing sound. He glanced over to the side, and his eyes widened. There was a lovely waterfall and pond nearby, and Trollex realized he was feeling rather dry. 

With a happy cheer and a flip of his fins, he was on his way to the water. Without a second thought, he plunged down into the water. He held his breath as his Flow kicked in, quickly adjusting his breathing to the use of the gills on his neck. He took a deep breath, feeling the cold water seep into his scales. “Oh man… I forgot how nice it feels to be in water…” He glanced up, seeing Cooper’s face staring down at him through the water’s surface. 

Trollex swam to the surface, poking his head out of the water and smiling at the Funk troll, who grinned back. “Come on in, the waters great!” He flipped in the water, using his tail to drench Cooper from head to toe with the cool water.

Cooper let out a startled shriek, leaping back to avoid the water, but not far enough. He spluttered as he was soaked through, his fur sagging and making him look nearly half his size. He was the farthest thing from angry though, flashing a toothy grin before charging to the water’s edge. “CANON BALL!” With a mighty leap the Funk troll curled himself into a ball and slammed into the water. The splash would have put a water park to shame.

The Techno troll laughed, spiraling through the water before he realized something. He watched as Cooper started to paddle for the surface, and swam up to block him. When Cooper tried to protest, indicating he needed to breath, Trollex smiled. “I got this, hold on.” 

Trollex formed a heart with his hands and blew a bubble into the center. He watched as the bubble formed a pixelated heart shape and floated to Cooper, popping when it touched his chest. “Ok, take a deep breath now!”

Cooper seemed a little hesitant, but nodded. He took a deep breath, and let out a startled laugh. “Wha? Hey, I can breathe! How’d you do that?” Cooper paddled around in a circle, rather enjoying his new found ability to breath underwater.

With a chuckle, Trollex blew a few more of the pixelated heart bubbles. “Heart beat bubbles. We use them a lot in my kingdom. It’s how we can have land trolls visit. Critters and Creatures have something like them to. Like if you come down into the water in a critter of some kind, you can breathe when you exit.” He huffed slightly, crossing his arms. “It’s how Queen Barb was able to even get to us…” 

Cooper offered a supportive smile. “It’s still a cool trick. What else can you do?”

Trollex smiled a bit as well, and then started to sing a few bars of the song they had sung earlier in the troll village, complete with the automated tone to his voice. Once he finished, he gave a small shrug. “We have a different singing voice, though it seems to be like your glitter trolls.” He tapped his chest. “Other than that, we Techno trolls have our Track skip and our Flow.” He briefly explained the abilities he mentioned.

“That’s so cool!” Cooper laughed, his feet kicking in the water as though he was dancing in place. “I can grove to that!”

“Heh, what about you, Prince Cooper? What can Funk trolls do?”

“I have no clue!”

That answer caught Trollex of guard, and he gave the other a curious look. “What do you mean? Aren’t you a Funk troll?”

Cooper nodded. “Sorta, I am funk, like my parents, but I’m pop to, since I was raised here!”

“Really? So you… you grew up in pop village, and didn’t meet your parents till recently?”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Cooper gave a nod, smiling happily. 

Trollex rested a hand over his pulsing pink heart, looking down into the dark depths of the lake they floated in. He couldn’t imagine what his life would have been like without his parents… 

He could imagine it would have been as it was now, but from the start instead. He never would have had his parents smiling faces in his memories. He would never have been able to hug them.

Or maybe, if he hadn’t been around, the Techno trolls would still have a proper king and queen…?

Cooper tilted his head slightly, watching Trollex stare off into the murky water below them. He tried rousing the young king by waving a foot in front of his face, but no luck. Next he tried calling to the other. “Trollex, you ok there dude?”

That seemed to finally get the aquatic trolls attention, snapping him out of his thoughts. He shook his head to clear it. “What happened…? Did I zone out?”

“Yeah, pretty hard to. What were you thinking about?”

Trollex glanced towards the surface. “Let’s head up… I’ll tell you there, I want to be out of the water when I tell you…” And with a flick of his tail, he shot up to the surface, using his arms to hoist himself onto dry land.

Cooper followed after, using a rock to pull himself to dry land. He shook his body out to get rid of excess water, puffing up like a pompom when he finished. Trollex laughed softly from his place in the grass. 

With a grin, Cooper moved to sit next to the other, making sure he was comfortable and ready for a story.

And so Trollex told Cooper about his parents, some of the good times he missed so much, and what happened to them in the end. At some point, Cooper had taken to lounging on the grass with Trollex, his head on the aquatic troll’s stomach. From his current position, Cooper could truly appreciate the rhythmic pulses the pink heart gave off. 

Once Trollex finished, Copper hummed softly, digesting what the other had just told him. Cooper wasn’t very used to dealing with heavy topics, the worst lately was learning about what Pop had done. This was on par with that, in his mind. He rolled over a bit, looking over at Trollex. “I have an idea.”

Trollex peered down at Cooper past his lack of a nose, brows arching in confusion. “Oh? And what’s that?” 

Cooper sat up, reaching a foot up to remove his hat and remove a communicator from it. He grinned, pressing the button in the center. “I’m bringing you to see my mom and dad!”

He didn’t have much time to think or argue, as a bubble began to form quickly from a protrusion on the device. It was soon as big as him, and popped off of the communicator, floating straight for Trollex. He squeaked, instinctually using his tail fins to try and shoe it away, only for it to latch on and suck him into itself. 

With an indignant cry, he found himself floating upwards into the sky. He looked around in a panic, his eyes quickly falling on Cooper. “W-What’s going on? Cooper what’s happening?”

“Like I said, we’re going to see my mom and dad! The king and Queen of Funk, King Quince and Queen Essence!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I imagine that Cooper wouldn't have had much chance to ask questions about the Funk trolls and what they can do, but don't worry, Big mama and Big papa wont leave us in the dark for long!


	7. Vibe city

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex and Cooper make it safely to Vibe city, but poor young Trollex isn't sure how to handle himself around the royal family.

Poppy hummed happily as she dashed about her pod, throwing things here and there as she tried to decide the best things to pack for operation “Rainbow fish”, at least that’s what she was calling it. Among what she considered essential was: Gumdrops, candyfloss, candy canes, Chocolates, A change of clothes, and enough glitter to make a glitter troll jealous, as well as a few other items. 

Despite all she packed, she still managed to get her bag closed, swinging it around to wear on her back. She was practically skipping as she left her pod, singing a song softly to herself. She was confident that with the four of them working together, they would get Trollex’s colors back in no time! After all, who doesn’t like music and parties and fun, right?

When glanced up, spotting a branch hanging overhead, and decided she’d have a little fun getting down to the plaza. She drew her head back, and swung it forward again, her hair responding to her will and stretching forward. It reached the branch she had spotted and wrapped around it, allowing Poppy to leap off of the step she was on and swing forward. 

With a mid-air flip and a landing with a flourish, she earned the applause of the trolls that had stopped to watch her. She offered a few humble bows to her audience, but paused when she saw Branch stepping forward through the crowd, clapping as well.

Poppy felt her cheeks grow hot as she stood straight again, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “Oh, Branch! I didn’t realize you were done getting ready for our big adventure!”

He let out a huff, crossing his arms. “It’s not an adventure, Poppy; it’s just helping King Trollex get his color back. It’ll help Tribal relationships to.” He glanced over her shoulder at the backpack. “…That bag is surprisingly…small, Poppy. What do you actually have in there?”

She grinned, giggling softly. “Only the essentials, Branch! Don’t worry about it. I even packed a life raft!”

Branch blinked slowly, staring at Poppy. The idea of her packing a raft for any sensible reason seemed unlikely, so he had to wonder just what she had packed it for.

It turned out that she was using it as a replacement for her portable glitter pool. You know, for whenever you want to jump in a pool of glitter, obviously.

Without allowing Branch to question her further, Poppy bounced on her heels a bit. “So, where’s Trollex anyway?”

Branch glanced around. “I told him if he wanted he could explore a bit, but now that I think about it, the other trolls are to calm. If Trollex was somewhere in the village, they’d be going crazy…”

Poppy hummed, thinking it over. “Maybe the snack pack heard something? Wait, I think I see Smidge! SMIDGE OVER HERE!”

The diminutive troll turned to Poppy, which was when Branch noticed how stressed she looked. “Um, Poppy, does Smidge look worried about something to you?”

Poppy nodded a bit, watching as Smidge used her hair to swing down to them. Neither the king nor queen got a word out before Smidge spoke in a panic. “Guys we lost Trollex!”

The two looked at each other, sharing a moment of stunned clarity before shouting in unison. “YOU GUYS LOST THE KING OF THE TECHNO TROLLS?!”

-Meanwhile, elsewhere-

Trollex grumbled softly, his ear fin twitching before he scratched at it. 

“You alright, man?” Cooper asked from his bubble, floating near enough to Trollex’s to talk without much trouble. 

The young king sighed, nodding. “Yeah, just an itchy fin.” He chuckled a bit. “Must be someone talking about me.”

Cooper let out a sudden laugh. “You guys have something like that to? For Pop trolls it’s their ears!” He scratched at his own ear, as though to demonstrate.

Trollex looked ahead, watching the puffy clouds pass them by at a rather significant speed. Truth be told, he had no idea just how fast these bubbles traveled. He thought back to the Pop troll village they had just left, and realization hit him like a ton of bricks. “POPPY AND BRANCH! I was supposed to wait for them! Oh, they’re going to hang me out to dry when they find out I’ve gone…”

Beat poked his head out of Trollex’s hair, giving a peeved look to his friend. “You have a habit of leaving villages unannounced, Trollex.”

His ear fins drooped and he looked up at Beat with his best puppy-dog eyes. “Are you still mad at me?”

He got a smack from a fin and a huff as his response, before beat returned to nestling in his hair.

Trollex flopped backwards in his bubble, staring at the pink pixels lit up on his tail. “Cooper, how did you do it?”

Cooper glanced over at Trollex, tilting his head. “Do what?” With a few nudges, Coopers bubble drifted a little closer to the others. 

“Get your color back… after the strings were destroyed, you were the first one… the one who reminded everyone the music was inside us…” He looked over at Cooper. “How’d you do that?”

He watched as the other hummed softly, tapping in a steady rhythm over his heart. “I dunno, I could hear my heart beating, and thought ‘Hey, if we lost our old music… why not make new music?’”

That got Trollex thinking. He looked down at his own pulsing heart, and thought back to the song and dance number he had joined the Pop troll’s in. “And you did just that. You made music when everyone else was ready to give up…” He looked up towards the wide, blue sky around them. “But I went and gave up anyway…”

A few moments of silence passed before he heard a soft squeaking sound. He glanced over just in time to see the two bubbles touch, quickly absorbing each other and tossing the occupants together. He let out gasp when he was suddenly tugged into a hug once the spinning stopped.

Cooper hugged Trollex tight, and gave no sign of letting go. Trollex laughed nervously, tapping lightly on one of Coopers legs. “U-Um, Cooper, are you ok?”

Cooper set his head on top of Trollex’s. “No, you can’t ask that, that’s my question!”

That got him a bit confused. He glanced up, only able to see Cooper’s fluff over his own brow. “Um, you mean you want to ask me if… I’m ok?”

A nod was the response, but Trollex wasn’t sure he could answer. He looked forward again, resting his hands gently on Cooper’s legs, which were still wrapped around his chest. It was kind of nice like this; it reminded him of the times he would sit in one of his parents’ laps. He felt safe.

He let his eyes slide shut to enjoy the peace, but it was short lived. He blinked them open again and glanced around, trying to pinpoint an odd humming sound that he heard. Cooper seemed to know what was coming though, as he released Trollex and stood within the bubble. “They’re here!”

As though on que, a very large, very SHINY UFO parted the clouds ahead, flying towards them. He watched in awe as the bubble they were in floated down below the saucer, before zipping up into a now opened hatch.

Trollex enjoyed the lights and colors of the trip through the tubing system, but was stunned into silence when he saw how colorful the city was within. He watched trolls milling about, chatting happily to each other, while others played music on floating record platforms. 

As soon as they entered another tube system, he missed the colorful view of the city. He turned to Cooper, who was looking rather proud of himself. “Cool, isn’t it?”

All he could offer was a stunned nod of approval, which was more than enough for Cooper. When the bubble finally made it to the reception room, it set them both down gently on the floor, and then popped.

Trollex was immediately in the air, flicking his fins to move about quickly as he looked all over the shiny room. 

He paused when he heard a sweet laugh from behind, and turned to see Cooper running to greet his twin brother, Prince D. Trollex cleared his throat, and reminding himself he was visiting active royalty. “U-Um, hello Prince D. How have you and your parents been holding out?”

Prince D laughed again, shaking his head. “You don’t got to be formal here, Trollex. Just chill!”

He gave the other a slight skeptical look, before nodding. “Um, right. Well…” He glanced over at Cooper, who gave the signal for him to continue. “Uhhh….nice um…. Nice city, very shiny, I’ll be out ofyourhairnowBYE!” And with that he darted up towards the hatch that brought him in, only for Cooper to leap up and grab him by the tail, just short of escape. 

Cooper shook his head, pinning Trollex’s fins under his front feet. “Nope! That’s not what we came here for.” He turned to his brother, nodding his head back towards a still struggling Trollex. “He lost his color, and his parents, and now he’s kinda freaking out and needs his color back. I figured you and mom and dad could help!”

Trollex flopped, finally going still. No reason to struggle if it had all been spilled anyway, right? Prince D looked down at Trollex, then back at Cooper. “I gotcha. You go get mom and dad; I’ll show him to a room!”

With the plan decided upon, Cooper released Trollex’s fins and bounded off to get the king and queen, leaving a rather embarrassed Trollex with the other Prince of Funk.

Prince D stepped forward, lowering his head to talk level with Trollex, who was still flopped on the floor. “So, there a reason you didn’t wanna tell me that on your own?”

He let out a whine, covering his head with his arms before he spoke. “Mph… It’s cause the Funky family…” He sighed. “You guys seem so happy, I didn’t wanna ask you guys for help with my people, or my problems…” He looked at Prince D. “I’m really not a very good king—ow!” 

Trollex curled up a bit, rubbing the top of his head as he pushed himself off of the floor. “Why’d you hit me?”

The Prince tilted his head. “To get you to stop thinking like that. Worked, didn’t it? Now you’re just thinking of a little bit of a bump on your head.” 

It was true, Trollex had stopped thinking about it in that moment, and his head didn’t even hurt when he thought about it. “You didn’t even hit me that hard, did you.”

With a grin and a snicker, Prince D shook his head. “Nope, just a lil love tap.”

The two shared a laugh, but it was cut off when they heard several sets of footsteps coming up the hall towards them. Prince D stood up fully, trotting towards the entrance. “That ought to be them!” He poked his head into the hall, and then suddenly vanished.

Trollex jumped a bit, staring at the place that Prince D had just been standing. Who he saw next had him actually landing on the floor, standing on his fins as he looked up at the king of Funk. He gulped a bit. Sure, Prince D and Cooper had assured him that there was no need to be formal, or scared, but he found himself shaking a bit.

King Quincy was a tall, imposing figure, the cape adding to his perceived size. The kings found themselves standing face to face, though for Trollex he felt more like a child next to the king. A rather scared child at that. 

As Quincy was about to speak, a shout was heard from down the hall. “KING QUINCY FUNKY YOU BETTER NOT BE IN THERE TERRORIZING OUR GUESTS AGAIN!”

The king turned around to face his rather angry looking wife as she came into the room, speaking in his soft, deep voice. “Oh come now dear, if I can’t have a little fun with the odd guest, what’s the point of being a king?”

Queen essence glared at Quincy, but her expression quickly melted into that of confusion. “Um, well, were IS our guest?”

“Why, right here my—Oh.” As Quincy turned around to show Trollex, he found that the aquatic troll was nowhere to be seen. “Well, he was right there…”

Essence rolled her eyes, turning to Cooper and Prince D in the hall behind her. “King Trollex seems to have vanished, thanks to your lovely father. Would you boys mind helping us look for him?”

And so the funk family set about trying to find the missing King, who had managed to slip out of the reception room entirely, and had made it into the main portion of the city itself. He found himself attracted to nearly every glowing light fixture and sparkly object that caught his attention.

Which was literally everything.

At some point, Trollex had made it to the center fixture of the city, and found himself at a rather new looking fountain. And wouldn’t you know it, splashing around in the fountain was a group of children. Some of which were Techno trolls. 

Trollex’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. He couldn’t let his people see him like this. No one knew he had lost his color in his own tribe yet, and he hoped to keep it that way. He tried to sneak back off into the crowd, but found himself bumping head first into a Funk trolls soft fur. 

He pulled back and shook his head, looking up at the curious Funk troll. “Sorry, little buddy. Are you ok? You’re looking a little grey there.”

Trollex offered a nervous laugh, waving off the others concern. “I’m f-fine! Just kinda…” He glanced back at the fountain. “Um, just a little under the weather is all, yeah! Ha ha… well, bye!” And with a flick of his tail, he zipped off into the air. 

Trollex was used to being the tallest in his tribe, but only by a little. Here in Vibe city all the trolls were nearly twice his height when he stood on his fins. 

He wasn’t a big fan of things bigger than him.

He needed to find somewhere quiet for now… He came to a stop when he heard a little melody play over a sound system. “Attention all trolls currently in Vibe city, this is Queen Essence speaking. We are looking for a… royal guest, which we think may be lost in the city. Please help us find him, and if he can hear this, I apologize for my husband startling you, don’t worry, we don’t bite.”

Trollex whined softly, looking back towards the direction he had originally come from. He should go back… But King Quincy was huge and intimidating, he wasn’t sure he could face the king of Funk after last time.

It was then he heard a murmur from the crowd below. His eyes widened when he heard his name. 

“Hey, isn’t that the king of Techno up there?”

“Yeah, it’s king Trollex!”

He looked around the crowd below, then at himself. In the bright, neon lights from the signs all around him, he almost looked as colorful as usual. “No wonder they recognize me… I have to get out of here…!”

“King Trollex, wait!”

He was about to dart off when he spotted who called him. It was one of the Techno troll children that had been playing in the fountain. The little tyke flicked the water off of his tail fin as he pulled himself up onto the ledge of the fountain, waving at Trollex excitedly. 

The young king gave a nervous wave, spotting more of his people starting to look up at him. He couldn’t handle this right now, looking at their hopeful faces… 

He screwed his eyes shut and darted off, not caring where he ended up.

He didn’t stop until his fins grew tired, and he was eventually forced to make a landing to rest. He nearly collapsed onto a bench he found in a quiet park area, panting heavily as he tried to calm his racing heart. 

He couldn’t believe that his people knew where he was now… how could they trust him to lead if they find him in the Funk kingdom after vanishing from his own without a word? Right in the middle of their recovery, no less! He hung his head, internally berating himself.

He curled up on the bench, wrapping his tail fins around his body as weariness overtook him. He let his eyes slip shut, and welcomed the darkness.

-A short time later-

After numerous reports of king Trollex having run off to the Vibe city park, Queen Essence had opted to approach the king of Techno alone. She stepped off the hover board she borrowed from Prince D, taking a look around the park where she landed. It was quiet as usual, with nothing out of the ordinary that she could see.

But she knew he was here somewhere. She began to walk through the park, making sure to look in every tree and bush she passed. After a half hour, she let out a defeated sigh. She needed a break; her feet were starting to hurt… She moved to sit at a nearby bench, but paused when she saw what looked like a little black ball with pink squares on it.

She grinned, stepping closer to listen. When she heard soft snores, she nearly laughed. The poor troll had fallen asleep! She stepped a little closer, kneeling in front of the bench and gently nudging Trollex onto her back.

He only shifted slightly, snuggling into the queen’s soft fur at the base of her neck. She held back a tickled giggle, carefully returning to the hover board. 

She managed to get Trollex all the way to the royal suit, and she tucked him into the bed. When he was on the soft surface, she watched as he slowly uncurled, snuggling into the squishy bedding. “Wow, he looks like a blooming flower… heh, cute…!” She pulled the covers over him, making sure he was comfortable before she left the room. There would be plenty of time to talk in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NO ONE can tell me that king Quincy wouldn't look immediately intimidating to any troll half his height. HE IS HUGE MAN! Of course, I couldn't have him say anything before Essence came in, otherwise he would have immediately revealed he's a cinnamon roll with a voice smother than melted butter.
> 
> So sue me I love the funky family! They're so FUN


	8. Family ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex has a few trust issues. Can the easy going Funky family break his shell?

King Trollex REALLY didn’t want to wake up.

He snuggles deeper into the soft sheets around him, sighing contentedly. He’d never slept in something so soft before…

His eyes shot open and he sat up quickly. This wasn’t where he fell asleep…! 

He looked around the room, noting that it was rather large, the bed he was in was massive compared to himself, and it was rather beautifully decorated. He soon spotted a note on the bedside table, as well as a half-eaten tray of food. He chuckled, recognizing Beat’s handy work. He lifted the note, and was surprised to find beautiful, looping handwriting.

Dear Trollex,

I’m very sorry that my husband scared you yesterday; he often forgets that he can appear a bit intimidating. Cooper gave us a rundown of what you need, but the king and I would like to speak to you in private when you wake up. Once you’ve eaten, please feel free to call on us. 

Hoping to speak with you soon,  
Queen Essence and King Quincy.

He scanned the rest of the note, and found some more scribbled in rough Techno. 

Deer Tollux  
Food iss good. EAT. Gone exploring. Bbl.  
Beat.

Trollex laughed at the note, grabbing an untouched pastry and nibbling on it. He blinked a bit, and took another bite. It was really tasty…! 

He ended up finishing the rest of the plate, patting his stomach as he let out a contented sigh. “Man… I have to ask who they get to cook their food…!”

He flicked his tail a bit, glancing back towards the empty plate. He kind of wished he had more… He tilted his head a bit, having spotted a button in the middle of the plate. “How strange…”

Without any mind for the consequences, Trollex pressed the button. With a sharp beep and a whirring noise, the plate suddenly lifted up and flew off.

He stared after the plate, stunned. “Well, if I had those when I was young, I would never have gotten in trouble for having dishes in my room…!”

When he looked back at the table, he saw a tablet beneath where the plate had sat. “What’s that…?” 

When he picked it up, the screen suddenly flickered to life. He nearly dropped it in his surprise, before reading the prompt on it. It was a message that simply said “Call”

After the last button he pressed, he couldn’t help pressing this one. He did drop the tablet though when a loud ringing sound blasted from it.

He hid under the covers, glaring at the tablet as it rang a few more times. 

Click. “Hello? King Trollex, is that you?”

Trollex tilted his head. “Wha…?” He inched forward, peering down at the tablet. “W-Wait, is that you, queen Essence?”

The queen let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, good! I’m glad you’re awake. How was breakfast?”

Trollex hummed in satisfaction. “Oh, it was great! My compliments to the chef!”

She giggled, turning to look at something off screen. “You hear that? Trollex sends his compliments, dear.” 

Quincy’s face suddenly appeared, taking up most of the screen. “He liked it? You really like it! I’m glad; I spent quite a lot of time on breakfast today. I’m rather proud!”

It took a moment for that to process in Trollex’s mind. “Wait…. YOU made the food?!” In his surprise, Trollex sat up to fast, mistakenly falling off of the bed in the process, a resounding thud echoing when he hit the floor.

“Trollex? Trollex, what happened, are you ok?” Queen Essence’s face took up the screen again, glancing around for a moment before huffing. She turned off screen again to address King Quincy. “I’m going to check on him, you stay put!” And with that, the call cut off.

The young king groaned, rubbing his sore head. “I’m going to have a goose egg after all this…” He pushed himself upright, and then drifted up into the air. 

It was then that Trollex noticed a rather cute, smaller version of Quincy’s cape lying on a dresser near him.

Oh, he couldn’t help himself!

He picked up the sparkly cape, eyes shining as he looked it over. Maybe he could… He threw the cape around his shoulders and darted to a nearby mirror, admiring his reflection as he posed with the cape. 

With a small spin, he decided to test his acting skills. Taking up a stoic, serious pose he took up a deep voice, clearly trying to mimic the king. “I’m King Quincy, and I’m tall and intimidating! Even though I bake delicious food.”

He let out a shriek when he heard a giggle from the doorway. “If I hadn’t just left my husband in the other room, I’d have thought I walked in on him!”

Trollex was now wrapped around a nearby decorative pillar, shaking slightly as he tried to hide the cape while simultaneously trying to remove it. “Q-Q-Queen Essence! U-Um I-it’s a p-pleasure to make my—I mean your! Your acquaintance…officially…”

Essence only laughed softly, stepping forward and taking the cape from Trollex with a gentle touch, only to drape it over the aquatic troll’s shoulders again. “I had it brought in for you, though my husband thought it would be cute to send you one like his own…” She shook her head. “I had planned on a plain cloak.” She wrapped it a little tighter on him. “It can get cold in Vibe city, this will keep you warm.”

He stared up at queen Essence, not completely understanding why the older troll was being so gentle and kind. “Um, pardon if I’m being rude, but… Why are you being so nice to me?”

The Queen hummed softly, looking away from Trollex as she thought. “Why? Because you’re a troll, too.” She smiled sweetly down at him. “Plus, you remind me a little of my sons…”

He tilted his head a little. “How old are your sons anyway, Queen Essence?”

She turned to leave the room, beckoning him to follow. “They’re 20, but please Trollex, no need for titles. You can relax around us.”

Trollex smiled brightly, zipping forward to float next to Essence as they made their way to their destination. “Oh! They’re only a little older than me then!”

Essence stopped dead in her tracks, staring at Trollex as he floated past her, not noticing right away that she had stopped. “Wait, Trollex, how old are you…?”

Trollex finally turned around, tilting his head slightly as his fins perked a bit. He was a little confused by Essence’s distraught look. “Um, 19, why?”

She stood stock still for a moment; staring slack jawed at Trollex before she finally composed herself. “You’re… you’re only 19? Trollex I don’t think there’s ever been a troll as young as you with the king title…! Where are your parents? They should be in charge still at your age…!”

Trollex flinched, clutching at his heart like he had been physically struck by Essence’s words. “I… They’re gone. They died when I was 15, eaten by a shark on a family outing…”

He didn’t have any time to react once he had finished speaking, letting out a yelp as Essence suddenly pulled him into a tight hug, nearly crushing him into her chest. “Oh you poor baby… Oh, I can’t believe… I was so insensitive...” She gently petted his hair, maternal instincts kicking in HARD.

Trollex wasn’t sure he could escape the powerful, crushing hug he was currently suffocating in, so he tapped her leg to try and get her to release him. Once free, he took a great gasp of air, coughing slightly. “M-Man, you give REALLY strong hugs…”

She gave him a sad look, and then motioned with her head towards her back. “Trollex, you still look a little tired, why don’t you sit on my back and I’ll get us where we need to go.”

He was about to protest, but was cut short when he caught the look of ‘get on my back or I will tie you down’ the queen shot him. Instead he swam through the air to get behind her, before sitting down lightly on the queens back. “Are you sure this is ok, Essence?”

She shook her head, starting to walk through the halls again. “No, I’ve decided it’s not. Call me aunty instead, I prefer than to Essence.” She smiled sweetly back at him. “At least, from you.”

He gave her a quizzical look. “Aunty?” 

She let out a happy sigh, nodding a bit. “Much better. Let’s stick with that. We’re your family now, Trollex… We won’t ever replace your parents, but I hope you know you can turn to us when you need to.” She stopped, looking him in the eyes. “We won’t let you be alone anymore.”

Trollex sniffled a bit, tears pricking at his eyes as he hugged Essence around her neck. “Thank you, Ess—I um… I mean Aunty…” He laughed softly. Saying that made him feel bubbly and happy.

It wasn’t long before they made it to their destination, which turned out to be a type of throne room, where King Quincy was chatting with another Funk troll. He turned when he saw his wife enter the room, chuckling when he spotted Trollex in the cape he chose and clinging to his wife’s neck.

“Well hello there—“ 

He didn’t get a chance to speak before Essence interrupted him. “Quincy, I’ve adopted him. He’s ours now.”

That got both kings to perk up, questioning the queen’s sanity together. “What?”

Essence made no move to remove Trollex, simply striding over to Quincy and giving him a peck on the cheek. From his seat on Essence’s back, Quincy didn’t look as intimidating. 

The Funk king smiled, looking over at Trollex. “Welcome to the family then, Trollex. Glad to have you.”

Trollex blinked, having just registered Quincy’s gentle voice. “Wait…. You sound like a dove, how was I scared of you…?” His eyes widened and he slapped a hand over his own mouth. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud…!

Essence was shaking as she tried to hold in her laughter, while Quincy had no such luck, laughing loudly as he gave Trollex an affectionate head pat. “A dove, huh? I take that as a compliment.”

The young king let out a whimper, burying his head into Essence’s neck fur as she burst out laughing as well, even the troll Quincy had been speaking with earlier laughed along with them.

It wasn’t long after that when the other troll left, having finished their business with the king. Once the three were alone, both the king and queen turned their attention to Trollex, who shrunk slightly as he floated off of Essences back. “I uh, guess you guys have questions, then?”

Essence nodded. “A few, yes. You could say that.”

Quincy offered a calm smile. “Maybe start from the beginning.”

And so he did. Trollex told the story again, of his parents, his age, which he was beginning to learn was very much younger than everyone assumed, and how he lost his colors, as well as the theory that he and the Pop king and queen had come up with. When he finished his story, he noticed with a bit of surprise that while Essence had teared up a little, Quincy now had his face buried in his wife’s fur, subbing in a rather un-kingly fashion.

“Um, are you ok, Quincy?” A look from Essence had him amend himself. “Err, I mean, Uncle Quincy?”

When Quincy pulled his face from his wife, he gave Trollex a look that could only be described as absolute heart break. “OK, yeah, we are adopting him. I agree 100 percent.”

Trollex blinked, looking between the two as they dried their eyes at last. Were they being serious, or joking? With the Funk trolls it was hard to tell, as they were almost always very jovial, from what he’d seen. The thought they may be joking hurt.

And hurt badly.

He found himself floating away from the king and queen, taking up a position above even King Quincy’s height. That got both the Funk trolls attention as Trollex spoke. “King Quincy, Queen Essence, I don’t appreciate this joke…” He turned from them, dropping the cape to the floor as he did. He felt a stab of pain in his chest, but ignored it. “I don’t have family any more, this joke is in very bad taste…” He flicked his fin, and made his way out of the door. 

It really was cold in Vibe city without the cape. 

At least, he Trollex told himself it was the lack of the cape making him feel cold. 

He moved silently through the halls of the Vibe city palace, pausing when he reached a family portrait of the four royals, painted only recently to commemorate the return of their lost son.

He glared at it, turning away and moving quickly down a random hall. 

He felt bad for leaving the king and queen on a sour note like that, but he needed to clear his head. If they really were pulling his fins, it was a terrible joke. 

He sighed, sinking to the floor and staring down at the flickering pink light of his heart. “Humph... maybe I should skip Funk…” He perked up a bit as he heard a distant tapping sound. He approached quietly, and soon discovered that the tapping was following a gentle beat, his heart syncing to it and calming his nerves.

He didn’t recognize the tune, but he did know the rhythm. It was Funk to be sure. When he heard King Quincy and Queen Essence talking, his heart nearly broke. 

“Does he really think we were kidding? He must think we’re terrible…” That was Essence… She sounded so hurt.

“I’m sure he’ll come to realize we were telling the truth…” Even king Quincy had a quiver to his voice. 

They were truly worried for him, and he had just done something akin to a smack in the face.

He held a hand over his heart, feeling the pulse match with the songs beat as he made his way back towards the room he had left before. It wasn’t a long journey, as he simply went through the window. He peeked into the room the royal couple were in, watching as they began to sing together, sounding rather forlorn. 

I want you near me  
Why can't you hear me  
You seem so far away  
Please don't stay as strange

Tear drops just keep fallin'  
My heart just keeps calling  
Love  
Will bring us back together  
Forever

I want you near me  
Why can't you hear me  
You seem so far away  
Please don't go as strange

Tear drops just keep fallin'  
My heart just keeps calling  
Love  
Will bring us back together  
Forever

Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
Whooooah  
Once  
We were together  
I love  
It was to a song  
Now we'll fall apart  
What do I do  
What do I do  
What do I do

I just want you near me  
Why damn can't you hear me  
You seem so far away  
Please don't stay as strange

Tear drops just keep fallin'  
My heart just keeps calling  
Love  
Will bring us back together  
Forever

Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
I want you come on home  
Turn me on  
Whooooah

I just want you near me  
Why damn can't you hear me  
You seem so far away  
Please don't stay as strange

Tear drops just keep fallin', from my eyes  
My heart just keeps calling, I love you baby  
Love, love love love  
Will bring us back together, together  
Forever, forever  
Love, love love love love love love  
Will bring us back together, ouh baby  
Forever, forever forever baby  
Love, love love love love  
Will bring us back together, will bring us back...  
Forever, forever forever baby  
Love, love love love love  
Will bring us back together, oouuh  
Forever, baby  
Love, oouuuhh  
Will bring us back together, I'll got to have you baby  
Forever, I'll got to have you baby

I just want you near me  
Why damn can't you hear me  
You seem so far away  
Please don't stay as strange

Trollex, after listening to the two, watching as they held the cape he had left behind earlier, decided it was time he made his entrance, slipping through the window as he took the last few lines, causing the king and queen to turn to him.

Tear drops just keep fallin'  
My heart just keeps calling  
Love

He smiled softly at the two, whipping a tear from his eye. “Sorry…” 

The two smiled, Essence pulling Trollex into a gentle hug as Quincy patted his head. He let his eyes slip closed, just taking a moment to enjoy the feeling of having a family again. 

Essence gave a soft gasp, looking down at the aquatic troll in her arms. “Trollex, your heart…!”

He looked down at his chest, and was shocked to find his heart glowing a deep, rich purple as it pulsed. “What in the…” He watched as faint pulses of purple radiated out through his body, returning the shades of purple on his tail, the purple band on his arms, and the purple of his hair tie. 

His heart slowly returned to its soft pink glow afterwards, but the purple stayed with him. He smiled brightly up at the king and queen. “I…I got my purple back!” He leapt out of Essence’s hug and pulled them both into one of his own. “Thank you, aunty, and uncle!”

Essence cooed happily, nuzzling Trollex while Quincy tried to remain at least a little stoic, even while fawning over his new nephew. 

All three jumped a little when they heard someone clear their throat in the hall, followed by supressed chuckling. 

Trollex, Essence and Quincy all looked towards the door, finding Beat floating there with a look that just screamed ‘He got you to, huh?’, while Cooper and Prince D chuckled behind him. 

“Welcome to the family, cuz.” Prince D stepped forward, offering an easy smile.

Cooper ran forward, bouncing around the three trolls as Trollex released his hug and floated up slightly, trying to clear the pink blush that was glowing on his cheeks. 

Beat floated over and nudged Essence, who was smiling serenely as she watched Trollex, Prince D and Cooper start to play together. “I take it you joined the Trollex protection squad, then?”

Essence shot him a knowing look. “We joined the second he smiled.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song  
> Love will bring us back together (1979) - By Roy Ayers
> 
> Does anyone have any idea how hard Funk songs are to find...? Like I had SUCH a hard time finding one that fit the scene at all... 
> 
> But yeah, who else joined the Trollex protection squad?


	9. Tears and Laughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tempers reach a boiling point, and words are exchanged that tear two hearts apart.

Queen Essences hummed along to a song as she walked through the halls of the Vibe city palace, making her way to one of the guest rooms she was having converted. She was a little surprised though when she stepped into the room and found King Quincy helping with the construction, showing his fellow Funk trolls certain tricks to make the tasks go by a little quicker.

She stood, watching her husband work for a few minutes, before she cleared her throat, catching his attention. 

He stood and glanced at the door, a smile pulling at him as he walked towards Essence. “Why hello, Queen-E, how is my one woman show doing?”

She laughed softly, giving him a gentle peck on the cheek. “I’m doing fine, dear. I see you’re helping with the changes?”

With a nod, Quincy looked back at the room behind him. “Yeah, I even talked to Beat to get some help with the design.”

The room, while rather a mess thanks to the equipment scattered about and trolls doing their work were looking rather close to completion. The large central bed had been replaced with a slightly smaller, water one with blankets that had a rainbow pattern similar to an audio visualizer along the bottom edge. The walls were in the process of receiving a fresh coat of paint while some trolls put the finishing touches on a central pool with a small, lit waterfall.

They just knew Trollex would love it!

Meanwhile, Trollex sat awkwardly in the reception area, twiddling his thumbs and glancing ahead where the bubble system deposited those that came to Vibe city. That morning, Essence had told Trollex that she’d gotten in touch with Poppy and Branch at Cooper’s request.

Despite his pushing, Essence never told him about their conversation, just that Poppy and Branch would be in later today.

The moment he heard that, Essence had to keep him from running and hiding.

He knew he left the Pop village suddenly, and he felt terrible for having not told the two trolls that had already helped him so much. He let out a groan and sank deeper into his chosen seat. “Beat, they’re going to kill me…”

Beat sighed, rolling his eyes. “For the hundredth time, Trollex, they won’t kill you. Now would you sit still? And please for the love of LED, would you PLEASE STOP FIDGETING!”

Trollex shrunk, dropping the hem of his cloak he had been playing with. “S-Sorry…” He watched as Beat slowly sank down onto a seat near Trollex. It was then that Trollex finally spoke up about his concerns. “Beat, are you alright? You seem as off as me…”

The little fish looked up at his friend, and then heaved a sigh. “No, not really man. I’m absolutely terrified…” He looked away, staring at the squishy golden orbs fastened to the floor, used for seating for arriving guests. “I’m terrified that you won’t come back to us.”

The king didn’t respond right away, looking towards the golden orbs as well. “I… I want to, it’s what I’m doing all this for, of course… Why wouldn’t I go back…?” He was shocked to find that his voice sounded hollow and unsure.

Beat was silent for a long while, giving Trollex time to be with his thoughts. 

Of course he wanted to go back to his trolls, he needed to… Unless… Could he find a successor? Someone smarter, stronger, and older than he was? A king his trolls really deserved…?

“You’re our king, Trollex; weather you believe it or not… You’re who we want. All the other Techno trolls agree…”

That got Trollex’s attention. “Really…? How do you know that…?”

Beat bit his lip and turned away entirely. “I asked… Um…. Yeah…”

He didn’t trust the way the fish refused to look at him now. “Beat, when did you ask…?”

“Just uh… Just before I left…?”

“And you didn’t tell anyone what happened… right?”

The silence was telling. Trollex’s eyes widened and he looked down at his black body. His trolls knew… That’s why the ones in the fountain didn’t panic… 

He felt something snap inside of him,

“Leave.”

“W-What? Troll—“

Trollex slowly pushed himself out of the chair, his posture tense, shoulders hunched and cloak making him look thrice his usual size. “Leave.” He kept his back to Beat.

The fish stared up at Trollex, feeling something he hadn’t felt so strongly since he lived outside of the barrier reef.

Fear for his own life.

For a few beats, the only sound in the room was the heavy thudding of Trollex’s racing heart. 

“Trollex, please, listen to m-“

The young king whipped around, bearing down on the small fish with a fury none could match. “YOU TOLD EVERYONE. You broke my trust and you expect me to just, what, say ‘Oh thank you Beat! I feel so much better now knowing that my tribe knows I messed up!’”

Beat glared, though it was hardly much. “Broken trust? You want to talk about broken trust? What about you, huh? King Trollex of the Techno trolls, youngest king in possibly forever, and what do you do when your friends are worried about you? LIE TO THEIR FACES?!”

“Beat, Leave! Before we say something we regret!”

“What kind of king… no, what kind of friend lies to those around them…? We could have helped you sooner…” Beat turned away from Trollex. “How could anyone trust a king like that…?” And with that, and a fin flip, he was out of the room.

Leaving Trollex alone with those final words.

All anger seemed to leave his body at once, and he slumped down onto a chair, feeling like a de-boned fish, or perhaps a wet rag. “Beat…” He couldn’t cry… kings weren’t supposed to cry… He hid his face in the cloak king Quincy had given him. And he didn’t cry into it.

Beat glared at anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path, his temper on an absolute hair trigger. At one point, he realized that he’d been glaring at a distorted reflection of himself in a silver record. That seemed to make him realize something, and his eyes widened at the reflection.

He felt distorted. He had never fought with Trollex before, at least not to this extent. He built a connection with him the day they agreed to be friends. Since then, Beat took it upon himself to be the happy voice on Trollex’s shoulder, and in exchange, he got a friend.

And he’d just told that friend he was a terrible king and a terrible friend. 

“Sugar honey iced tea… I have to say sorry…” He glanced back the way he came, and then back down the hall he had been heading down. “Um…” He looked around again. “Um, I think I’m lost…” He let out a soft whimper, hiding behind one of the silver records in the wall. “Trollex…”

King Quincy, having at last finished with the renovations, decided he would wait to greet Poppy and Branch with Trollex in the reception. He decided to try a new entrance he’d been working on, so when he reached the doorway to the reception, he prepared himself.

He upped his pace as he stepped through, then turned to his side and struck a pose he thought looked rather dashing. “Hello, Trollex, how are y-“He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Trollex sobbing into his cloak. 

He ran forward, remembering at the last moment how large he was, and knelt down in front of Trollex, reaching a hand forward and gently shaking his shoulder.

Trollex stiffened for a moment, and then lifted his head. Even without the Aquatic trolls natural colors gone, it was easy to tell that the young king had been crying hard for some time, his ear fins pressed down against his head. He looked absolutely miserable.

Papa mode, activate.

Quincy gently pulled Trollex into a hug; using his own cloak to wrap them both as he soothingly rubbed Trollex’s back. He’d send Prince D. to greet the coming Pop trolls, for now; he needed to get mama bear on the case. He smiled softly down at Trollex. “Hey, bud, do you wanna huddle up under my cloak? It’s nice and warm and dark…”

A nod was the only response, so using careful movements, familiar to him from when he would do the same with Prince D., and tucked Trollex gently under the cloak. With a moment of adjustment, it hardly looked like there was another troll under there at all.

And so Quincy began to move as quickly as he could through the castle, careful not to jostle his young charge. His ears pricked upwards, listening for his wife’s Heart song.

The Heart song was the reason Funk trolls loved their music. Every troll had it, but Funk trolls had the unique ability to hear it when they focused. It was how Quincy had known that the Pop trolls were willing to learn and change, rather than just shutting them out as he had originally thought to do.

He slowed to a stop, hearing a very unfamiliar and very strange Heart song. He glanced around, searching for the source. It was then he realized it was coming from… himself? Or more accurately, from his cloak. He closed his eyes, listening to the rhythm he heard in an attempt to figure it out.

The song was slow and melancholic at its base, bringing to mind the ocean depths. That was most likely feedback from Trollex’s experiences. He was surprised to not hear the tones of Techno he always heard before. When he had first joined Trollex and the other royals in song, he had heard all of their Heart songs and committed them to memory.

Trollex always had that base line, but never as dominant. He used to have chipper, upbeat sharp tunes that represented his Techno music, which Quincy found admirable. His love for his music used to be absolute, but right now, it was completely absent. 

In its place now, he heard a similar tune to what Poppy had, the cheery and upbeat Pop music. He also heard, slightly stronger at the moment than the pop, an echo of his own unmistakable Funk.

That got him to hurry. He tried his best to drown out the odd medley, focusing instead on his wife’s familiar Heart song. He found it eventually, along with Prince D.’s and Coopers, down in the garden. He opened his eyes and let his ears down, no longer listening for the inner music. 

He made his way down to the gardens, thinking on the medley that was Trollex right now. It was similar to their children’s story about a rainbow troll, which would fit Trollex rather well. “What an interesting nephew I have now…” Quincy smiled to himself. “He fits right in.”

As he stepped out onto the gardens at last, he spotted Cooper running towards him. He saw that Cooper had his ears up again, as he usually did. He had to remember to tell Cooper about that, he must have a hard time focusing with the constant music.

“Dad! Why is Trollex in your cape?” 

Well, at least Cooper could filter the information he heard. “Because he’s not doing too well, Coop.” He looked up as Essence and Prince D approached their ears up and listening as well. “I found him in the reception room, and he was crying his little heart out…”

Essence’s eyes widened and she looked at Quincy’s cape as she approached. “What happened? Do you know?” When the other shook his head, she took it upon herself to find out. She gently lifted the cape, spotting Trollex asleep on the kings back, clear tear tracks down his cheeks. The glow from the returned pink and purple making him look even more miserable. She reached in and gently scooped him up, which had the little troll blinking tiredly. 

He looked around, not focusing on anything right away. “Mmmm….mrrnnn….” He was trying to wish them good morning, but for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to talk much. Once the world came into slow focus, he realized he was surrounded by the Funky family. He let out a squeak, zipping up into the air in surprise.

Cooper laughed a bit, waving to Trollex. “Morning, sleepy head!”

Trollex looked between the assembled trolls, spotting looks of concern on all but Cooper, who just seemed like a ball of ever present sunshine. Somehow, that calmed him, and he floated back down to eye level with the family, rubbing at his eyes. “S-Sorry about that, it was just a little startling…”

Essence shook her head, leaning down and giving her adopted nephew a kiss on the cheek, which left a little spot of deep blue glitter. “It’s alright, hon, you’re safe here. Can you tell us why Quincy found you crying…?”

He looked down, fiddling with the hem of his cloak as he had been earlier. “Well… Beat and I had a fight. We’ve never snapped at each other like that…Though, he had a good point… I’m not much of a king—ow! Again, why again?” He turned to Prince D, who was chuckling with a foot held up in the air, curled into a loose fist. 

Prince D set his foot back down, shaking his head. “Worked again, didn’t it? I’ll do it every time man.” He smiled. “It’s what family does.”

Trollex bit his lip a bit, and then sighed. “OK, fine, fine…” He shook his head, slumping a bit. “Any number of hits to the head doesn’t seem to get it through my thick skull though… YOUCH!” He fell down through the air, hitting the ground with a light thump. When he looked up, he found that all four of the Funk trolls had a foot up like Prince D had earlier. “You ALL hit me?!”

Essence puffed her chest a bit. “Did that get it into your thick skull? We won’t let you talk badly of yourself, Trollex. It’s a family rule.”

He rubbed his head, which was no sorer than before. “Yeah, but still… is violence really necessary?”

Quincy smiled, back to looking intimidating. “Sometimes.”

The illusion was lost almost immediately when Essence gave him a light punch on the shoulder, causing Quincy to fall over dramatically, his cape helping immensely with the drama factor. “Oh, my dear wife, you would attack me! The love of your life!” He reached out to his sons, who shared a mischievous grin. “Oh no.”

“Oh, yes!” The two boys suddenly pounced on their father, wrestling him into a pinned position, which the king clearly wasn’t fighting very hard. 

Trollex watched, laughing as the two Princes seemed to come to a wordless solution. They plucked their dad’s glasses off his nose, and tossed them to Trollex. “Try these on!”

He fumbled for a moment, but managed to catch the glasses. Caught up in the fun, he put them on with no hesitance, setting his hands on his hips and puffing his chest. “I’m King Quincy, and I try to be intimidating, even though I’m a sweet cinnamon roll!” As though to finish his little gag, the glasses he wore fell askew. Curse his lack of a nose!

All four members of the Funk family were now howling with laughter, even Quincy was having trouble breathing through bouts of laughter.

He tried to keep his composure, but when he heard a snort laugh from Essence, all bets were off. He laughed, clutching his stomach as he tried to keep himself in the air.

At some point, it became an acting contest, trying to see who could do the best Quincy impression. Despite Quincy himself participating, he still lost to Cooper when he put on the cape and glasses. As a prize, Cooper was allowed to wear them until the end of the day.

Once the contest concluded, Trollex sighed, finally feeling back to normal. “Thanks guys, I gotta go apologize to Beat now.” He zipped up into the sky, waving to the Funk family before darting off. 

Quincy smiled, then paused a moment. “Um, should one of us have told him where Beat was?”

“BEAT WHERE ARE YOU!” Trollex moved through a hallway that seemed very familiar. Honestly, every turn seemed to take him down a hall he had just been in. He felt like he was starting to go insane. He began to fear he’d ever find his way back out, when he heard a soft call from behind him. 

“Trollex? Is that really you…?”

He spun around in the air, spotting Beat floating just a few feet away. “Beat…!”

They rushed for each other, hugging each other as best as they could as they spoke at once. “I’m so sorry!”

The sync caused them both to pause, looking at one another with confusion. “Um, what?”

Trollex shook his head, holding the Beat button fish at arms legs. “I’m sorry for how I’ve been lately, Beat. I’ve been mopey and upset, and you’ve been trying so hard to help…”

Beat shook his head, smiling through the tears in his eyes. “No, man, I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have snapped at you, I know you’re going through a hard time, and I just made it worse…!”

After a moment of silence, they both smiled softly. “Forgiven?”

“Always.” Beat squirmed out of Trollex’s hands and moved forward; pressing himself to Trollex’s chest and giving the best hug he could manage. “I don’t want to fight like that again, man… You’re scary when you’re mad!”

Trollex was shocked to hear that. “Wait, really? I was scary…?” He chuckled softly, rubbing the fishes back. “Cool, I pulled of scary…!”

Beat huffed, looking up at the now smug young king. “You’re still a cinnamon roll though.”

He puffed his cheeps indignantly before sticking his tongue out. “Am not. I’m scary! You just said so!”

“Even a cinnamon roll can be scary sometimes. I mean, all that icing sticking to your stuff?” Beat pretended to shudder. “Absolutely terrifying.”

“You’re making fun of me, I know you are!” Trollex huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What me? Noooo~ I would neeeeever~” Beat hummed, looking about as innocent as if he had horns and a tail.

Trollex grinned, giving the button fish an affectionate head rub before moving away. “Race you outside!” And with that, he was off like a shot! He had to work on his speed, since he couldn’t use Track skip. He did notice that he was getting faster, even without it.

Rather quickly the two boys got lost, but not for a lack of fun. He zipped happily though the halls, keeping high to avoid running into any other trolls in the halls.

What he hadn’t expected was to fly right over a pink and blue grey Pop troll. He practically screeched to a halt, flipping in the air to stare at the two. “Poppy, Branch? When did you guys get in?”

Poppy let out a happy squeal when she realized it was Trollex that had just flown past her. “Trollex, there you are! We were so worried when Smidge said that the snack pack lost you! When I got the message from Queen Essence, we came over quick as we could!”

Branch nodded, but had a curious look trained on the aquatic king. “Yeah, what happened anyway? Everyone said Cooper suddenly took off with you.”

“Oh, that’s cause he sounded all scared and stuff!” Poppy and Branch spun around to see a cheery Cooper standing behind them. He looked up and waved at Trollex. “Hey again, cuz!”

Branch was about to question something, when Poppy interrupted him. “Wait, why’d you call Trollex cuz?”

Cooper laughed at that. “Well, that’s cause he is! He’s my cousin!”

The two pop trolls darted between looking at Trollex, who was blushing a bit and rubbing the back of his head, and then to Cooper, who was grinning in his usual manner. “Wait, WHAT?”

Trollex floated down to be more eye level with the Pop trolls. “Well, when I got here, I was in rough shape. Essence and Quincy apparently decided they wanted to adopt me, cause they wanted me to have family again.” He smiled, running a hand along the purple stripe lit up on his arm. “It’s been really nice…”

Branch spotted the purple, stepping forward to get a closer look. “So you got your purple back? I’m glad! It’s just like I thought, you really do have to get a color from each Tribe…”

Trollex nodded. “Seems so. I don’t know where to go next though… I think there are only three left; Classical, Country and Rock.” 

Poppy hummed softly, tapping her foot on the floor. “Hmm… Ooh, maybe you should go see Delta Dawn! She seems like a nice lady!”

Branch gave her a confused glance. “Poppy, she locked us in jail.”

“Yeah, but that was then and this is now!” Poppy cheered joyously. “So let’s go visit Lonesome flats, and the Country trolls!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Yeah, I added an ability headcanon to the Funk trolls. See, from what I've researched, Funk is very soulful music. It really does speak from your heart. Thus, Heart song. It makes no sense to me that Any troll of any kind can suddenly break into song and dance with another type of music, or at all considering there is no way to plan that stuff for real.
> 
> BUT! 
> 
> If every creature, trolls included, have music in their hearts, that can change and adapt, resonate with others, and tune to emotional states to such a physical degree that loosing that music turns them grey?
> 
> Yeah, something like a Heart song makes sense.
> 
> As for the Funk trolls? Like I said, Funk is a soulful music, and it resonates. It would explain why the Funks are laid back and willing to trust Poppy, regardless of past transgressions by Pop. Also what Essence said in the movie. "Music comes from inside"
> 
> That, and Cooper and Prince D being the first to bring that inner music back out after the strings were destroyed.
> 
> As for tuning it to weather their ears are up or down? Cooper is smart, regardless of what people say, he's just very emotionally driven, not always rationally. That's different from the Funks nature, but isn't similar to a Pop trait either. 
> 
> The only inconstant difference between Cooper and the other Funks? Ears up yo, ears up.
> 
> TL:DR I made a headcanon, so sue me.


	10. Lonesome Flats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex, Poppy and Branch make it to Lonesome flats at last, and are greeted by a rather frustrated looking Delta Dawn. Hopefully they can convince her to help!

“Do you have something to protect you from the sun?”

“Yes, Aunty.”

“And water? You have plenty of water, right? It’s very hot and dry next to the Glitter dessert.”

“Yes, Aunty, I have, like, 5 bottles of water.”

Trollex floated in the air in front of Queen Essence, who seemed to be trying to overlook his packing. Quincy was standing next to Poppy and Branch, all of whom were trying to conceal their laughter.

He was wearing a large rimmed sun hat that had a little fish pinned into it. He also had on a thinner cloak this time, one that was white with colored pixels trimming the bottom. He also had what appeared to be a glow ring sitting loosely around his neck, which had been a gift from the Funky family.

Essence gave the Techno king a once over, before shaking her head and pulling him to her chest. “Nope, I’ve decided you’re not going, it’s too dangerous.”

“Essence, you can let him go, you know.” Quincy stepped forward, looking considerably smaller without his cape, and softer around the eyes without his glasses. “He’ll be fine, Poppy and Branch will be with him.”

Poppy stepped forward, smiling brightly. “Yeah! We’ll keep a close eye on him!”

Branch bit his tongue, doing his best not to bring up the fact they had already lost Trollex once.

The queen of funk seemed torn, holding a blushing Trollex a little closer to her chest before relenting with a sigh. She released her hold on him, and he floated upwards to be eye level with her. “I’ll be fine, “Aunty. Don’t worry so much.” He spun around, pointing at his cloak. “This awesome cape will keep me safe!”

Poppy let out a squeal, adoring how cute Trollex could be. Essence melted, losing the argument right then and there.

Branch looked up at Quincy, waving his hands pointedly at Trollex and what he’d done to the girls. “How does he DO that?!”

Quincy just laughed with a small shake of his head. “We may never know, Branch.”

The small group made their way towards the Reception room, but once there Essence wouldn’t let her newest family member leave without a smooch on the cheek. “Be safe, my little guppy.”

Trollex paused, hearing his mother’s voice for a moment. He smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I will, Aunty.” He looked up as some bubbles came down from the ceiling. He let one suck him up, waving as the bubbles carried him, Poppy and Branch to their destination. “By Aunty, Uncle, I love you guys!” And with that, they were on their way.

Essence and Quincy stood together, looking up at the ceiling as it shut behind the departing bubbles. The queen smiled softly. “I don’t regret any of that.”

Quincy chuckled, nuzzling his wife’s cheek. “Me either.”

Trollex relaxed in the bubble, trusting the funk trolls technology to be reliable. He glanced up at the brim of his sun hat. “Beat, you awake, or still asleep?” 

He was greeted with a groggy groan and the little fish poking his head out from under the hat. “Mph, I am now. What’s up?”

“Well, I just wanted to ask if you were doing alright. You’ve been sleeping a lot up here.” Trollex reached up, gently pulling Beat from under the hat so he could look at him.

Beat yawned, using a fin to rub his eye. “Yeah, I just sleep a lot when I’m out of water. We fish aren’t like you trolls; we can’t stay out of water to long.”

“Wait, what? Why didn’t you mention something sooner? I gotta get you back to the ocean!” Trollex was about to pop the bubble, but was stopped by Beat shaking his head. 

“No man, it’s alright! I promise I’ll head back if I get to bad, alright?”

Trollex didn’t look convinced, but relented anyway. “Fine, but you tell me if anything happens… I can let you sleep in the meantime though.”

Beat nodded a bit, yawning as he moved to return under Trollex’s hat, snuggling in before falling asleep.

He laughed softly, looking down through the transparent film of the bubble. He could see golden glitter dunes below them, and just ahead, on the other side of a gorge, was Lonesome flats.

Trollex looked down at the small dusty city, already feeling thirsty just looking at it. He had to remind himself that Delta dawn, the leader here, wasn’t a royal by her own definition. Here in Lonesome flats, the Sheriff was in charge, which was a position that was given to a worthy successor, rather than blood line.

He had to admire the differences in the system. If his trolls had it, he would most likely have never been put in charge.

He gave himself a light tap on the head, remembering how the Funk trolls had done just that. “Right, stop thinking like that, Trollex. It’s against the family rules…” He smiled softly, feeling a bubble of excitement well up in him.

As they began their final approach, Trollex noticed that only one troll was outside, and that was the town Sheriff and leader, Delta Dawn, looking rather ticked off. 

He bit his lip. Uh oh, not even touched a scale to the sand yet and he might already be in trouble. When the bubbles did eventually set them down and pop, Branch made sure to hold Poppy back from her undoubtedly chipper greeting.

Trollex cleared his throat, standing on his fins as he addressed Delta Dawn formally. “U-Uh…. Hey?” Or tried to, anyway.

Delta tilted her head slightly, taking a few steps closer. Trollex watched as she looked him over. He was shocked when she barked a small laugh. “Well ain’t you a sight. Yer Trollex, right? Sorry, don’t do titles here, but welcome to Lonesome flats all the same.” She extended her hand for a handshake. “Put ‘er there.”

He took the proffered hand and gave a small shake. “Um, thank you. We’re here to, well…” He rubbed the back of his head, a pink blush dusting his cheeks. “Sorry, not good with talking… ha-ha…”

The Sheriff tilted her head. “But ain’t you in charge of your people? Don’t you do those rave things of yours?” 

Trollex pulled the brim of his hat down to cover his face. He knew it didn’t make sense, but ever since he left his undersea home, he’s been realizing that he has a very hard time talking with strangers. He knew everyone in his tribe, so all these new faces were overwhelming. 

Branch decided this was as good a time as any to release Poppy to break the tension. He looked at her, and with a silent head motion indicated she should go talk to Delta as well. Poppy wasted no time, bounding over to the Taur. “Heya, Delta! Wassap!”

Delta looked almost like she had seen a spider when she spotted the hyper pop troll approach. She quickly put on a smile, but it was tight. “Why Poppy, what brings ya’ll to my QUIET little town?” Trollex caught the emphasis on quiet.

Poppy didn’t seem to though. She smiled brightly, pulling Trollex into a one armed hug to show Delta Dawn what she was talking about. “Well, Trollex lost his color, and he’s kinda really different cause he’s usually so colorful, so we gotta get every color back separately! But don’t worry, we already have a plan!”

To everyone’s dismay, Poppy pulled out a sparkly scrap book, throwing it open to show a cut out of Trollex in his usual colored state. He was shocked to see Poppy had even included a little cut out of Beat, which with a tug of a string, would swim around the little cut out Trollex’s head. 

When had she taken the time to make this?!

As Poppy began to tell what she knew, using the visuals of the book, Trollex realized he felt the crawling sensation of being watched. He glanced around, but spotted no other trolls in the area. He shrugged slightly, writing it off as a false alarm.

As he turned his attention once more to the scrap book, realizing that Poppy had already gotten to their song and dance number in Pop troll village, he realized that the sensation returned. This time, he was sure of it!

He felt a shiver crawl under his scales, his head turning slowly to stare at Delta Dawn’s hair.

Where he saw two eyes staring at him from within the red locks.

Trollex let out a shriek that could have woken the dead. By the time the other trolls recovered from the shriek, they realized that Trollex was now nowhere to be seen. Poppy looked around, seeing no one on the streets and no sign of the jumpy young king. “Trollex vanished!”

“Um… I’m up here…”

All three looked up, and spotted Trollex tangled in one of the lines that ran across town. He gave a small tug, proving that he was indeed so tangled he couldn’t move his tail fins.

Branch looked at Poppy, who looked ready to burst. “Don’t you dare la-“

She burst out laughing, clutching her stomach as she tried to stay standing. “Ohmygosh Trollex how’d you even do that?”

Delta took a small sidestep away from Poppy, and then looked upwards at her own hair. “Clampers, be a dear and get ‘im down please.”

Clampers stuck her head out of Delta’s hair, offering a quick salute. “Sure thing, Aunty!” The young troll leapt out of Delta’s hair, landing on her hooves before booking it to one of the adjacent buildings. She quickly climbed it and positioned herself at the end of the wire Trollex was on. “LOOK OUT BELLOW!” And with a chomp, she cut through the line.

Trollex had only a moment to realize what was about to happen before he fell towards the group bellow. He cried out, trying to free his fins so he wouldn’t hit the ground, but the tangles were too tight. He shut his eyes tight.

And was shocked when he felt someone catch him. He looked up to see his saviour, and it was Delta dawn, giving him a rather curious look. “Well hey there darlin, shouldn’t you buy me a drink ‘afore you hop inna my arms?”

With a squeak, Trollex tried to untangle his fins. “S-Sorry, Miss Delta! I didn’t mean to, um, Clampers just startled me and all, and I…”

Delta huffed, dropping Trollex rather unceremoniously to the ground. “I ain’t no miss. I ain’t that old you know!”

Branch knelt down, helping Trollex get the rest of the rope off of him. “No offense intended I’m sure, Delta. He’s just a kid after all.”

Once he was untangled, he flicked his fins to float in the air, crossing his arms as he blushed lightly. “I’m not a kid, I’m 19, nearly and adult troll!”

Delta tilted her head a bit. “So let me get this straight, you’re just a youngin and yer runnin a tribe?”

He nodded. “Yeah, apparently everyone is surprised when they learn my age… I didn’t realize it was a big deal before. Aren’t Poppy and Barb both young to?”

Poppy put up her arm. “Yup! But I’m 22, I’m not sure how old Barb is, but she’s around my age I think.”

Trollex blinked, honestly surprised by this. “Wait, really? But your dad’s still around, isn’t he? Why did he step down and let you take over?”

“Oh, that’s a funny story, actually! You see, when the Bergens found our village again after dad saved all the Pop trolls from being harvested and eaten by them, dad didn’t want to do anything to get my friends back! Can you believe that? Well, I was having none of it! So I set off on an adventure with Branch to save them before they got eaten! Oh, but when we got there, one of my friends got eaten! Oh no! Well, it turned out he didn’t get eaten, but was a real jerk that got our whole tribe captured this time! We were all ready to give up, lost our colors and everything! So all us Pop trolls were sitting in a big pot waiting to be cooked, and then THIS guy” She pulled Branch, who was clearly a little concerned by Poppy’s simplistic retelling of the time their tribe was nearly wiped out, into a side hug. “He suddenly got his color back after 20 some years after he watched his gramma get eaten and so we all sang in this big pot, which might I add had GREAT acoustics, and then we got the Bergens singing, but then Branch was almost eaten, but don’t worry, the Bergens are our friends now!” She smiled “And that’s the story of why dad stepped down and thought I was ready to be a great leader!”

Silence reigned once Poppy finally finished her whirlwind description of her accent to power. Delta and Trollex shared looks of deep concern for the Pop trolls. “Wait, so… You guys became friends with the Bergens… the ones that were eating you…” Trollex questioned, trying his absolute best to make sense of the chipper queen’s attitude towards near tribal genocide.

Delta let out an impressed whistle. “I guess I got you pop trolls wrong… Ya’ll aint just glitter ‘n’ sunshine are ya?” 

Poppy shook her head. “No, we’re entirely glitter and sunshine!”

Delta had a hard time believing that, glancing at Branch, who just gave a small, tired shrug. “Well, most Pop trolls basically are. I’m just a little different.”

“And different is fine, ‘specially when you’re stuck in a pot ‘bout ta be eaten…” Delta crossed her arms, a brow arched. “All us here are different from each other to.” She gestured behind her, and that’s when Trollex realised that more and more of the townsfolk were coming out, children chattering curiously as they pointed to the motley crew in the middle of the street. 

He was rather caught off guard when he saw a strange mix of both ages and races here. He could see some Funk, Classical, and even his own Techno trolls, as well as some distinctive pop and rock. He also saw one that really didn’t look like he fit…

“HICKORY?!” Poppy bolted past Trollex and ran to the crowd, leaping onto and hugging a troll that looked of pop decent, but very clearly wasn’t pop.

He watched as the two trolls began to chat, and Branch walked over calmly to join. He noted how tense Branch looked right now as he began to chat with Hickory as well.

He was surprised when Delta nudged him with her elbow. “Since they’re busy catchin’ up, why don’t you an’ I go talk ‘bout why yer here.”

And so Delta brought Trollex over to her home, which happened to be above the sheriff’s office. He looked around in wonder when he saw the interior of her home, photographs of other country trolls hung on the walls, presumably her family. The living room area was warm, with two chairs sitting in front of an empty fireplace. Delta walked over to one of the chairs, her hooves clicking against the hardwood floors. Once seated, she gestured to the other chair. “Take a load off, kid!”

He nodded, moving towards the seat and gently lowering himself into it. He sighed, enjoying the soft seat. “Wow, your place is so nice, miss Delta…!”

She waved a hand through the air. “I told you to drop the miss, didn’t I? Either Delta or Dawn is fine, but not miss.”

He nodded, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as he removed his wide brimmed hat. “Right, sorry. Still not used to talking with those outside of my tribe.”

“I hear ya. If it weren’t for everything that happened we wouldn’t be sittin’ here havin’ a chat.”

The young king looked down into his hat, seeing Beat in there sleeping soundly still. “Yeah, those strings were nothing but bad news from the get go…”

“Now hold it right there, partner, I hafta disagree with ya there.” That caught him by surprise, but he didn’t interrupt. “Sure, what happened was terrible and all but look what came of it? Tribe relations’r better than they’ve been since the strings first came ‘bout.”

He wasn’t sure he felt the same way. “If the tribes had never split in the first place, we wouldn’t have had to go through all that to begin with.” He still shivered when he remembered the feeling of being a rock zombie. It had felt hot and cold, his inner music getting tramped down by the loud rock.

“Why did we have to deal with what our ancestors messed up, anyway…? We had nothing to do with it; we were just told to protect those strings…”

Delta gave the other a calculating look. “Children suffer the sins of the father, ‘r something’ like that. They were tryin’ to do what they could to survive, just like us now.” She leaned back in her chair. “Can’t blame em, we never tried to change anythin’ either. Till her, anywho.” She looked outside, spotting the peppy pink pop troll through her window. 

Trollex thought through what Delta said, looking into the empty fire place. It was true, he blamed the strings for what he was going through right now, but could he say he’d have done things any differently from his ancestors? And even if something had been different, what would that change about today? It could have been better, sure, but there are many ways it could have been worse.

He closed his eyes, feeling his heart pulse gently. He remembered the Funky family, and how kind they were to him, and the Pop trolls, who had accepted him readily. He opened his eyes again. “Delta, I need to ask you for your help. But I need to tell you a little about me first, I think.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight, so, I'm really sorry about Delta and her typed accent, I am REALLY not good at typing accents... I just talk to myself and try to write how I say it, but then my Word is just like "Wait this isn't how you always type whaT AREYOU DOING STOP" So yeah... So many...red squiggles...


	11. Time to think

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delta dawn sings for Trollex, but it doesn't turn out how he thought it would. Taking some time to think, he asks for help from his parents.

Delta dawn wasn’t a crier. The harshness of her desert home had hardened her emotions against near anything. 

But heck if she wasn’t close to tears by the end of Trollex’s story. She dabbed at her eyes to clear any stray tears before they fell. “Kid, yer hard as rocks, ya know that?”

Trollex looked down at himself, giving his body a poke. “Techno trolls are actually kind of soft if you poke us, only are scales are hard, and even they are pretty soft.”

She stared at him for a moment before laughing heartily. “Not what I meant, but sure!” She shook her head, standing from her seat. “I meant you got guts, kid. After all ya had ta deal with on yer own, yer still tryin’ yer best for yer tribe. I can appreciate that.” She walked over to a nearby hat rack, pulling the smallest one off and returning to Trollex. “Fer me, that makes ya an honorary Country troll.” She plopped the hat on his head, and laughed as it slid down over his eyes. “Y’might hafta keep yer fins up if ya wanna see.”

He did just that, perking his ear fins up as best he could. While the hat wasn’t heavy, his fins weren’t used to holding anything up. Even with that small set back he turned to Delta, a huge grin plastered over his face. “Thanks, Delta! I love it!”

She jumped a little in surprise. She had dealt with Clampers and the other kids in town being cute to get away with things, but it never worked. Somehow, with the hat askew on his head, one fin hidden while the other held it up, and his sparkling eyes half hidden under the brim, she couldn’t help but admit he was cute enough to get away with murder.

Almost.

She cleared her throat, stepping away so he wouldn’t see her moment of weakness. “Right! So, near as I can tell, t’get yer colors back, you need our help? I get that, sorta, but what’s got me confused is why it’s our music that gets the color back.” She looked back towards him, having managed to calm herself.

He was about to answer, confident in his logic, but then paused. Why WAS it music? And for that matter, the music of other tribes? Shouldn’t his own music be enough to get all his color back? For a while he thought it was just because of that story, but the story had the trolls friends offering up a piece of their color, not their music.

So why music now, then? He sighed, resting his chin on the back of the chair as he looked at Delta. “I don’t know, actually…”

She wanted to pinch his pouty cheeks so bad! “Well, I might have an idea, but it’s a lil weird.” She walked over to her banjo, which had been sitting on a stand nearby. “I’m gonna sing ya a country song. That’s what pop and funk did, right? That’s how ya got yer purple and pink?”

When she got a nod from Trollex, she grinned. “Betcha won’t get any color back from this.”

Back through the years  
I go wonderin' once again  
Back to the seasons of my youth  
I recall a box of rags that someone gave us  
And how my momma put the rags to use  
There were rags of many colors  
Every piece was small  
And I didn't have a coat  
And it was way down in the fall  
Momma sewed the rags together  
Sewin' every piece with love  
She made my coat of many colors  
That I was so proud of

Trollex listened to the words, feeling them as much as he heard them. He looked at his arms, once so colorful, now dull and grey. What his mom would say if she saw him now…

As she sewed, she told a story  
From the Bible, she had read  
about a coat of many colors  
Joseph wore and then she said  
Perhaps this coat will bring you  
Good luck and happiness  
And I just couldn't wait to wear it  
And momma blessed it with a kiss

He smiled softly, thinking about all the stories his mom would tell him to make him feel better about his differences. He missed them…

My coat of many colors  
That my momma made for me  
Made only from rags  
But I wore it so proudly  
Although we had no money  
I was rich as I could be  
In my coat of many colors  
My momma made for me

He rubbed his arms, his fins drooping with his emotions and allowing the hat to fall over his eyes. In the darkness, he could see his parents again, him as a child, playing games together. He could see his old colors, bright as ever.

So with patches on my britches  
And holes in both my shoes  
In my coat of many colors  
I hurried off to school  
Just to find the others laughing  
And making fun of me  
In my coat of many colors  
My momma made for me

He saw himself returning from a day at school, grinning from ear to ear with scrapes all over himself. His parents would fuss over him, but he knew he’d be alright, after all, he was his parents little glow guppy…

And oh, I couldn't understand it  
For I felt I was rich  
And I told 'em of the love  
My momma sewed in every stitch  
And I told 'em all the story  
Momma told me while she sewed  
And how my coat of many colors  
Was worth more than all their clothes

He watched as his parents hugged him, telling them how they loved him. He was so lucky to have such wonderful parents…

But they didn't understand it  
And I tried to make them see  
That one is only poor  
Only if they choose to be  
Now I know we had no money  
But I was rich as I could be  
In my coat of many colors  
My momma made for me  
Made just for me

He watched as his parents seemed to vanish, taking his colors with them. 

He reached up; pushing the hat up over his eyes, but keeping the brim down so Delta couldn’t see his tears. 

“As I thought, no new colors.” She set the banjo down again, folding her arms over her chest. “So I was right.” 

Trollex pushed himself from his chair. “I’m sorry, miss Delta, but… I need some air…” He made his way to the door, not realizing that Delta hadn’t corrected him light usual on the miss. 

Once he was outside, he opted for going up. He gave his tail a lazy flick, making his way into the air. No one could bug him up in the sky. Most trolls couldn’t fly, only the classical could do that. Even his own trolls preferred to walk on their fins when on land. It took the same amount of energy to travel as he did as it would to walk; it was just more difficult to maneuver.

When he made it to the top of the roof line, he decided he wasn’t far enough yet. He moved through the air a little faster, holding his hat against a sudden gust of wind. Once he had made it to the top of one of the cacti that surrounded town, he sat down, leaning against a spine.

He looked out over the town, a little surprised to see it so bustling. When he first arrived, it had looked like a ghost town. He watched as families laughed and played together, some working hard, and others still showing around new friends from other tribes.

How was it so easy for the other tribes? Everyone had gotten attacked, and yet he seemed like he was the only one still dealing with it… He felt tightness in his chest, causing him to wince. He looked down at his heart, and growled softly. “I’m starting to get really tired of this…” He looked up at the sky. “I want to go back to how things were…” He sighed softly, closing his eyes. “Mom, dad, I need your help…”

He jumped a little when the wind suddenly kicked up, tossing sand in his eyes and his hat off his head. He let out a yelp, turning to grab for it when he saw a colorful object catch the sun. “The shell!” 

He watched as it began to tumble through the sky, his mind racing.

He watched as it floated down slowly through red tinted waters, his heart aching. 

With the hat in hand, he leapt off the cactus, chasing after the small heart shaped abalone shell. Even though it was strong, he wasn’t sure the small, already damaged shell could handle a fall from this height.

He reached for the shell through dark waters, red swirling around him. He had to save the shell.

He had to save what he had left.

“Trollex look out!”

His eyes widened, his hand nearly closing around the shell. 

And he realized if he didn’t stop his dive soon, he’d run straight into the ground. 

Time seemed to freeze for him. If the shell hit the hard ground, it most likely wouldn’t survive impact. But would he? Should he risk it for an old, busted up piece of Abalone? He made his choice.

His hand closed around the shell, and he tucked it to his chest, curling himself so he hit with his back and shoulder, rather than head. The moment he impacted the ground, he let out a cry of pain, feeling something pop in his shoulder, dust kicking up around him from the hit.

When the dust settled, Trollex was curled into a tight ball, hat lying on the ground next to him, cloak covering the majority of his body. Delta was the first one on the scene, kneeling down to look the young king over.

The moment Delta lifted the cloak, Trollex let out a small, pained whimper. She saw the problem right away. “I need a medic here, now! He popped his shoulder!” She glanced around, and saw that none of the gathered trolls were making a move. She glared at the crowd. “Did I stutter? GO!” And just like that, she was alone with the injured young king, the rest of the crowd either gone to get help, or too scared to approach. She hoped the former.

That was when she spotted Hickory, Branch and Poppy running towards them. She still found it strange to see Hickory without the taur legs of other Country trolls, but she had accepted him into her town as he was. 

Poppy was the first to speak once they reached the two, panting heavily. “What happened? We saw Trollex falling and… is he ok…?” Delta was surprised that the Pop troll sounded so quiet and scared. 

She smiled a bit, though it was strained. “He musta landed on his shoulder, popped it out good.” She gestured to Trollex’s arm, which was lying limply at an odd angle on the ground. 

Hickory stepped forward and crouched next to Delta, running a critical eye over the injury. “He needs something for the pain, and I need some material to use for a sling…” 

Branch nodded, running off to fetch the fabric, with Poppy trailing behind to find something for the pain. Delta turned to Hickory, giving his a curious expression. “I didn’t know you were a doctor?”

He shook his head. “I’m not, just experienced. I can’t do anything till they come back with that stuff though. If I try to set it now, it’ll just hurt like the dickens…”

Both of them were surprised when they heard Trollex’s voice. “P-Please… just d-do it, it hurts…as is…”

The two looked at each other. Hickory scratching at his five o-clock shadow. “I dunno, kid, it’s not fun, and everyone has a hard time with getting an arm popped back in…”

“Plus, Branch and Poppy won’t be long, I’m sure. No need to deal with more than you already are…” Delta rested a hand on Trollex’s head, trying to sooth him in any way she could. That was when she spotted several of the crowd from earlier returning, with Poppy and Branch at the head. Each one held up something they thought might be useful, but she wasn’t sure what to make of the broken broom head someone held up.

Hickory accepted what he needed from the other trolls, glancing at the gumdrops Poppy brought. “Smart, we’ll need those for after. For now…” He looked down at Trollex. “I need you to lie on your back; can ya do that for me?”

With a small nod, Trollex rolled himself onto his back, letting out a pained cry when he did. He then offered the young king a few gulps of a pain medicine another troll had brought. “OK, I’m going to do this quick as I can, aight?” He looked at the crowd. “I need someone to hold him down.”

Hickory was a little surprised to see Delta set her hands on Trollex’s good shoulder. “I got him.” She nodded. “Do it.”

Hickory gently took Trollex’s injured arm in hand, lining it up, and then—

Crack, pop!

His own screams were the last thing he heard before Trollex passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY
> 
> It hurt so much to write, but... AGH You'll see it's important! Mph... Poor baby fish... I think I lost my position in the Trollex protection squad...
> 
> EDIT: I FORGOT TO NAME THE CHAPTER AND I FORGOT THE SONG! It's Dolly Parton, coat of many colors. It's a favourite of mine! Honestly, Country is my favourite genre....Haha...


	12. Flash back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young prince Trollex wants to enjoy a day with his parents for his fourth birthday! What could possibly go wrong?

Trollex yawned softly, sitting up in bed as he rubbed his eyes. He took a look around and spotted a nearby calendar. He grinned widely, throwing of the sheets and dashing over to take a closer look. He giggled, spinning in place. “Today’s the day, todays the day!” He gave his single fin a flick and swam out the door of his room. “It’s my birthday today! Mommy, daddy, it’s my birthday!”

It didn’t take long for the young prince to make it to his parents’ bedroom, throwing himself into their bed in an attempt to wake them. According to his internal clock, it was still ridiculously early in the morning, but he was sure his parents wouldn’t mind the wakeup call! After all, it wasn’t every day that he turned 4!

He bounced on his parents’ bed, but paused when he heard his mom give a small groan. “Darling, your son is awake…”

The king’s only response was a loud, clearly fake snore. The queen sighed, slowly picking herself up to sit in bed, pulling her son into a hug. “Good morning, my little glow guppy. And how is our little birthday boy?”

His eyes went wide and he gasped sharply, pressing his hands to his cheeks. “You remembered…!”

She giggled softly. “Of course we did. After all, it’s not every day our little guppy turns 4, right dear?” she gave her husband a sharp elbow in the back, causing him to let out a yelp and fall right out of the bed.

Trollex giggled as his dad picked himself off the floor, rubbing at the small of his back. “Ow ow ow… That’s right, son. We may be old, but we don’t forget things that easy yet!”

Trollex huffed, crossing his arms. “You guys aren’t old, I’m just young!”

The queen covered her mouth in an attempt to supress her giggle. “Yes, that’s right guppy, we’re not old.” She glared at her husband. “And I certainly hope your father isn’t saying that I’m old…?”

The king visibly shrunk in on himself, shrugging his shoulders as he refused to look at his wife. “W-Wha? No, of course not! Never! I’m just saying that you’ve aged well…?” He already regretted those words.

Trollex watched as his mom gently sat him back on the bed before getting out of bed for herself. Her movements were slow and deliberate, and Trollex knew what was coming. 

His mom turned to give the king a smile that never reached her eyes, her ear fins twitching slightly. “Aged well, have I…?”

The king gulped, turning to Trollex. “W-Why don’t you go to the garden and wait for us, guppy, we’ll be out in a little bit to start your birthday celebration!” 

Trollex whooped, propelling himself out of the room and towards his mom’s prized garden. His parents always had big plans for his birthday, and he wondered what this year would bring! He hoped he got to go to another of his parents shows; he loved to dance with them behind the booth, even if he couldn’t make any music of his own yet.

He hummed as he swam through the garden, stopping to admire a rather bright batch of LED coral.   
“Someday, I’m going to grow a DJ booth all my own…! It’ll be huge! Way bigger than mum and dads, by a whole lot!” He spread his arms out in the water, giggling as the lights shone on him. “Grow nice ‘n’ big, coral!”

He always felt warm in the light, and had always asked his parents why they couldn’t live closer to the surface. The few times his parents had brought him close enough to feel the light play off his scales, he’d end up with way more energy than usual. He much preferred the light to the darkness his people lived in.

He hated the darkness, no matter how often his parents told him the dark was safe. He always felt like it was a living thing, ready to steal him away should he ever let down his guard. He looked at the glowing coral, promising himself that someday, he’d make sure his tribe’s life was always bright and flashy, shiny enough to chase away any nasty old darkness!

He felt a chill shoot through him, as though he had swum next to a glacier. He shivered, turning around to see if something was there. 

He saw nothing, only darkness. 

He shook his head, patting his cheeks to snap himself out of it. “Trollex, don’t be scared! You got this; you’re a big troll now!” He puffed his chest, his heart beating strongly in his chest. As long as he could feel that heart, he knew he’d be ok.

“Trollex! Where are you, my little guppy?” He smiled brightly, turning and swimming as quickly as he could to the source of the voice. He soon barreled into his mom, who caught him with a laugh. “Ah, there you are!” She gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Are you ready for your big day?”

He grinned up at his mom, nodding. “Yup! I’m always ready, mom! But… Where’s dad?” 

She gave his head a gentle pat. “He’ll be along as soon as he’s done setting up the booth, alright my little glow guppy?”

“But mom, I thought you guys always set up together?” Trollex tilted his head slightly.

“Yes, but your father was…. Nice… enough to let me spend time with you, rather than helping him.” She nuzzled her cheek to his. “So I’m all yours today!”

He clapped, cheering happily. “Oh, cool! Then let’s go to the edge of the reef, I wanna watch the little button fish!”

And so the mother son duo made their way to a section of the reef not many knew about, a small section where one could watch the kelp forest without leaving the safety of the reef. They sat together for a while, watching the button fish dart in and out of the kelp, playing together. 

“Hey mom, why do we use button fish and other critters for our music? Are they ok with it?”

His mom looked at him, brow arched in confusion. “What do you mean dear? Trolls have worked with the critters since the strings were first created. See, they enjoy our music, just as much as we do. It so happens that we can offer protection, while they offer their abilities for our music.”

He looked back out at the button fish, watching one venture rather far from the kelp. “How can we protect them? Aren’t there things out there that hurt us…?”

She nodded. “That’s right, there is. But we can protect them in our own ways. We can give them a safe place to do what they like and food to eat without needing to worry…”

He hummed softly, watching as the little button fish continued to get farther and farther from the kelp. It was then he realized that it was heading towards a strong current. He didn’t give himself time to think, using his fins to launch himself off of the coral and towards a small hole in the clear barrier coral. He managed to squeeze through, and dart towards the little button fish. 

The queen gasped as she watched her son dash to the barrier and squirm through. She swam from one gap to the other, but none were large enough for her. “Trollex! Trollex, come back! It’s dangerous out there!”

He glanced back, flashing a grin and waving to her. “It’s ok mom, I’ll be careful!” He turned his attention back to the small fish, using his track skip to dash forward. He managed to grab it before it fell into the stream, pushing it back towards the kelp to keep it from getting pulled in.

It’s too bad he wasn’t watching where he swung his fins. 

He yelped as he felt a sharp tug on one of his tail fins, sending him into a spin before getting caught up in the current. He braced himself as best he could against the pressure, but he hadn’t had any training with currents yet. He didn’t know how to exit safely, or how to read the currents to predict where they might go.

He had to try something though! He opened his eyes, as much as it stung, and looked in the direction he was being pulled. He could almost see the changes in the water ahead, where he hoped there was a bend in the flow of water. He had to time it right… 

Not yet…

Not yet…

Now!

He spread his fins, and his arms for good measure, which managed to give him enough speed to launch himself out of the stream entirely. He tumbled through empty water for a moment before he could catch himself. Once his head stopped spinning, he took a look around.

And saw nothing but darkness, everywhere. 

His eyes widened, and he let out a small whimper. “O-Oh no… Oh no, I wasn’t careful…!” He bit at his lip, searching for any sign of either the current, or the palace. 

He missed the light… He could feel the speed of his heart pick up, thudding in his chest as he began to panic. He shook out his tail fin, shivering as he could have sworn he felt something grab him. 

He rubbed at his arms. He missed the light…! 

That was when he realized that he was the light! He looked down at his brightly colored arms, smiling. He could have sworn they got brighter. These colors will get him home! He tried to focus on the light cast by his own body, which is when he spotted the rushing water nearby. 

There! He swam along the current, keeping it to his right as he swam along it, using his track skip as often as he was able. By the time he managed to get home though, he could tell it was late. He missed his whole birthday!

No, he didn’t miss it; he just had an adventure instead! He hummed, feeling a beat forming in his heart. Was this what it was like to write music? He grinned widely. He wanted to write the best music the Techno trolls had ever heard! 

For now though, he had to worry about getting back into the reef. He was going to try and slip in through the same spot he slipped out of, but he wasn’t stealthy enough. 

“TROLLEX!” 

He jumped slightly, looking around for the source of the sound.

That’s when his mom and dad swam up from beneath him suddenly, trapping him in a vice grip hug. He giggled as they fussed over him, trying to assure them he was safe.

After all, he was back home, safe with mom and dad, and the darkness couldn’t get him!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I'd take a break and slip some sweet right in the center of the story! Of course, when you realize why it still fits, it may just break your hearts...


	13. Country boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Trollex is awake, he finally has a chance to get Delta's help with his color.

Delta dawn had stayed awake for much longer than she had tonight, but for some reason, she felt more tired than she ever had before. She strummed absently at her banjo, tuning the strings as she needed. Once she had gotten the sound as she wanted, she glanced over towards the bed she sat next to. 

In it lay Trollex, sleeping soundly thanks to the pain medication he had taken. His arm was set in a sling, which was strapped around his chest as well to prevent any unwanted movement. She sighed, returning to strumming her banjo.

It sounded wrong again. 

She adjusted the strings again, as she had done already more times than she could count that night. As she tightened one of her strings, it suddenly gave way and snapped, whipping across the back of her hand and leaving a shallow cut. She hissed softly, bringing it closer to inspect. 

“Least it’s shallow…” She licked over the wound, trusting her body to take care of it for her. She glanced over at Trollex again over her hand. She should have called the Funk trolls, like Branch suggested. All the Country trolls had were supplies for common sicknesses and the occasional injury. Never to the extent of this though. 

She had to admire the kid though, he had guts. He had held on as long as any Country troll she’d ever seen. She ruffled her hair slightly, standing up from her seat and standing over the Techno trolls bed. “You better wake up soon, kid.”

“How soon… is soon…?”

She nearly leapt out of her horseshoes at the sound of his voice in the quiet room, before she managed to collect herself. “Right know’d be great, seein’ as yer already up.” She crossed her arms, looking towards the door. “I’ll go tell the others yer up, you stay right where you are.”

She made her way out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She was almost immediately accosted by Poppy, who was doing an admirable job of keeping her voice down. “Is he alright? Did he wake up yet?”

“Well, he’s awake, yeah. Still looks kinda tired though. So if we go in, we go in quiet like, right?”

Poppy nodded, Hickory and Branch standing from their seats to join the two in visiting the young prince.

The prince that Delta was now an inch from turning into sushi!

When they stepped into the room, they found Trollex not just sitting up in bed, oh no. They found him humming a jolly tune as he went around the room to gathering his cape and hat. 

He paused in his movements though, feeling murderous intent behind him. He turned slowly to see four very different facial expressions.

Poppy was easy to read, genuine concern and a whole heap of worry.

Branch was a bit more difficult, looking frustrated, but also very tired.

Hickory was trying to take a closer look at Trollex’s arms from the distance he was currently maintaining.

And Delta dawn looked about ready to wring his neck.

He gulped softly, pulling at the sling in an attempt to keep it away from his neck, trying to avoid the creeping sensation of choking. “U-Uh, hi…?”

Delta stomped forward. “Don’t chu ‘hi’ me, mister! You get yer fishy behind back in that bed or I swear I’ll hog tie you myself!”

With a terrified squeak, Trollex darted for the bed, diving under the covers before peeking out from beneath. “Sorry, miss Delta…”

She stomped a hoof on the floor boards, a resounding crack echoing through the room. “An I said no more miss!” She stormed out of the room, muttering something about impossible kids before she slammed the door behind her.

Poppy glanced between the door and Trollex, who looked down at his injured arm with a heart broken expression. “I messed up again, didn’t I…?”

Poppy smiled, though it was a nervous one. “What? No, it’s alright Trollex, don’t worry about it. I think Delta is just tired is all, she’s been up all night watching over you.”

He perked up at that. “Night…? It’s already night?” He looked out a nearby window, and sure enough it was dark. “Ack, an entire day wasted…!” He pushed himself into the air again. “I need to get my color back, I’m going after Delta!”

Hickory stepped in front of the door, trying to come across as a troll not to be trifled with. “Trollex, you need ta stay in bed, please. I don’t wanna hafta set your arm again, and I don’t think you want me to have to either.”

He gently cradled his arm, glancing to the window again before heaving a tired sigh. “Fine, fine… But just until morning…” He coughed, wincing slightly. “Um, can I get some water…? I’m so dry…”

Poppy nodded, slipping past Hickory and running to get water. 

Branch glanced at Hickory, and the two shared a nod before he too slipped out of the room, leaving Hickory and Trollex alone.

The Yodeler turned Country troll walked over, sitting on the edge of the young king’s bed. “You vant your color back, yes? But are you sure dat is all you need?” Trollex jumped slightly when the troll slipped seamlessly into his native accent. “You need other tribes’ music, but not just music…! You vant to be a better king, ja?”

Trollex tilted his head slightly. “Um, I do want to be a better king, yes… I figured if I could get help from the other leaders, I could be a better one myself…” He looked down. “After all, I’m still just a klutzy kid compared to them…”

Hickory shook his head. “Trollex, you vant what you already ‘ave.” He looked at his arm. “Though, you do need some better luck, yes? Trollex you are young, enjoy zat youth, while you hav it.”

He huffed a bit, picking absently at a loose scale on his fin. “But I have responsibilities Hickory and I’ve already left those for longer than I should have. I need to hurry and get back my color, my song, and—and… figure out what the next step for the Techno trolls will be…”

“Vat does zat mean?” Hickory tilted his head a bit, catching on to the wording the other had used. He didn’t get his answer though, as there were several crashing sounds in the other room. Hickory sprang to his feet. “Stay here, I’ll go ‘n’ see.” 

Trollex had no idea how Hickory was able to switch from one accent to the other so quickly, his mind trying to play catch up on the switch. He watched Hickory slip out of the room, and took that as his que to finish getting ready. He pulled the covers off of himself, slipping out of bed and flicking his fins to move towards his cloak and hat, only to find a slightly different outfit set out.

He reached out and lifted up the two articles of clothing, unfolding them to find that one was a fiery orange bandana, and the other was a brown leather vest. He slipped on the vest, testing the fit before he smiled. He would have to pack his cloak in a bag to carry along with him, but for the heat in the desert, the clothes he had on now would help more.

He tied the bandana loosely around his neck, before making sure the glow ring was still visible. He liked having a source of light on his body, more than the purple and pink light he was sporting now. He floated over to a mirror before nodding. He looked like he might fit in here!

He ended up in the rafters though when the door suddenly slammed open, revealing Delta as she huffed, a bucket of water in her hand. “Wants water, does he? Oh I’ll give him water all right…” Her eyes widened when she saw he wasn’t in bed again. “TROLLEX GET BACK HERE!”

He clung tightly to the wooden beam in the ceiling he was clinging to for dear life. If he came down, he was a dead troll, but if he didn’t, she’d find him eventually, and then he’d somehow be even deader…! He had to take the chance he could calm her down…He cleared his throat quietly, nearly screaming when Delta whipped around to glare at him. 

“There you are you little rascal! Git down here now before I git the lasso!”

He hesitated, but slowly uncurled himself from the post and floated down, hat in hand as he fiddled with the tanned leather of it. “S-Sorry, Delta, I just woke up with a lot of energy…”

She tried really, really hard to stay furious, but his little pout, fiddling with the hat, his ear fins pressed down, and the outfit she left him, she just couldn’t keep it up. She huffed, setting the bucket of water down. “Fine, fine, but turn off that cute shtick! Could give a Pop a cavity…”

He blushed, putting the hat on his head. “I’ll try…” He eyed the water. “Um, is that for me?”

She grinned a bit. “Yup! Was gonna come in ‘ere and douse you with it! Decided that might be me—Uhhh…”To her clear confusion, Trollex quickly put his clothing on the bed before making a grab for the bucket, having a bit of trouble lifting it with only one usable arm though. “Do you… need a hand?”

He laughed softly, nodding. “Please…” 

She lifted the bucket, offering it to him. What he did next had her very confused. He used his free hand to guide her into holding the bucket a little higher, before slipping under it and getting her to tip the entire bucket over his head.

She squeaked a bit, jumping back to avoid the splash, while Trollex just sighed contentedly. “Much better…” He blinked, looking down. “Oh no! Sorry, I’ll clean that up.” He glanced around, managing to spot a mop before he got to work, albeit clumsily. 

It finally seemed to dawn on her. “Oh! Ya really WERE dried out, weren’t ya? I was just plannin on usin the water as a punishment for yer reckless stunt out there in the street.”

He paused in his mopping, staring down at the puddle that was now half clean. “Delta… I’m sorry about earlier. About leaving like that, and then…” He reached into his hair, pulling out the small heart shaped shell. “A gust of wind blew this out from my hair, and… I couldn’t let it break.”

She stepped closer, looking at the colorful heart shaped shell, before she chuckled. “Heh, makes me think of you a bit.”

He tilted his head at that, looking down at the shell. “How’s that?”

She traced a finger along the cracked edges. “Broken,” She gestured to the whole shape. “But still wonderful.”

He blushed brightly, hiding his face under the brim of his hat. “I-I wouldn’t say that…”

She laughed, and then gave him a light pat on the good shoulder. “Let’s get this here mess cleaned up, and then we’ll work on yer Country color.”

He smiled at that, lifting his hat again. “Ok, sounds good!” He returned to mopping as best he could, humming the song that Delta sang to him before. 

That surprised her a bit. “I didn’t think you’d remember that song. Most other trolls forget a tune after a bit if it’s not their own music.”

He blinked a bit, looking at her. “Really…?”

She nodded. “Yeah, when them Pop trolls came to town first, they sang this… mash up, but for the life of me I couldn’t ‘member anything ‘bout the song after I threw em in the jail house.”

“Wait, you threw them in jail? Why??”

Delta blushed, scratching at her cheek. “W-Well, back then Pop was still kinda the enemy, ‘n’ they jus’ show up and start forcin’ their music on us? Not happenin.”

He hadn’t really put much thought into how the Pop queen and kings journey had gone, seeing as he didn’t even see them until all the other leaders had been brought to Volcano rock city. “Do you know much about what happened during the tour? I was captured for nearly the entire thing…”

She tilted her head slightly, taking the mop from him to put away once he had finished. “Really? I thought Trollzart was first…” She muttered under her breath. “That queen Barb’s gonna get a talkin’ to fer hurtin’ my lil buddy…”

Trollex tilted his head, moving to follow her. “What was that? I couldn’t hear you.”

She blushed brightly again, clearing her throat. “Just talkin’ to myself, plannin’ out how to get your color back.”

“Oh! Are you going to throw a party then? Or a concert?”

She shot him a confused look. “Now why in tarnation would we do that? Nah, just singin’ a tune ain’t gonna get yer color back, I already proved that.”

He paused, realizing that she was right. “Wait, Delta, you said you knew I wouldn’t get my color back with your song, but how?”

Delta smiled, patting her chest. “Simple, really. Music connects us, but if you ain’t ready to accept, then it won’t work.” She grabbed her banjo as she made her way to the street. “But I think you feel just Country enough fer this ta work…”

“Wait, what do you mean? Delta, what are you planning?”

She grinned, having made it to the middle of the street. “I’m plannin on getting you back yer rainbow.” And with a strum on her banjo, the town seemed to slowly start to come alive. He could already feel the pull to his heart, guiding him along the music.

You were raised in a watery farm  
Ain't never heard a rooster crow  
Never walked bare fin by a river  
Felt the mud up under your fins  
You never rolled in the hay  
You never thrown it in four gear  
Climb up on here boy  
Let me show you how country feels

Delta held a hand out to the young king, and once he took it, she hoisted him onto her back and began to trot through town, singing as she showed him the breadth of Country, both music and trolls.

Let your hair down, hair down  
Get you some of this laid on back  
Kick your woes off, kick 'em off  
Get you some of this slow down fast  
I'll take you up and down these hollers and hills  
Let me show you how country feels  
You ever watched the sun go down  
From the bed of a river runnin’  
Ever been so into somebody  
You're still lying there when it comes back up  
Boy what do you say?  
We cut a path through that cornfield  
Sit down by the water  
Let me show you how country feels

She did just that, smiling back at him as she brought him down to the river nearby. She let him off her back, sitting down on the river bed as she gestured beside her. He smiled, feeling his heart beat melding with the rhythm as he began to sing with her.

Let your hair down, hair down  
Get you some of this laid on back  
Kick your woes off, kick 'em off  
Get you some of this slow down fast  
I'll take you up and down these hollers and hills  
Let me show you how country feels  
Let your hair down  
Get you some of this laid on back  
Kick your woes off (Kick your woes off)  
Let your hair down, hair down  
Get you some of this laid on back  
Kick your woes off, kick 'em off  
Get you some of this slow down fast  
I'll take you up and down these hollers and hills  
Let me show you how country feels  
Country feels

As they finished together, their voices fading with the Banjo’s finally tones, he sighed, feeling warmth pulse through him. He hadn’t realized that Country music could be happy as well; always having thought it was sad or lonely. 

She smiled at him. “Country’s good. We got lot’s ta sing ‘bout, so we sing it all. We tell it like it is, and that’s our music.” She smiled. “Yer’s to.” She gestured to his heart.

He looked down, and smiled as he watched his heart pulse with an orange light. He let the feeling wash over him. Familiar, yet new as well. When he next opened his eyes, he saw the orange bands lit up on his arms. He grinned widely. “Orange! Delta, I got another color back!” He pounced on her, wincing as he jostled his arm. “Thank you!”

She blushed deeply, and then smiled, wrapping an arm around him. “Not a problem, kid. If I can help ye with the Country I love so much… well then that’s just swell.” She stood up again, dusting herself off. “Fer now, let’s get back to town. We can work on a way ta getcha to Classical a lil quicker.”

He floated up next to her, nodding. “Alright, sounds good!” He looked back over the water, then down at his arm. “Wait; give me a few minutes with the water. It’s been a while since I swam.” Without waiting for a response, he spun and dove straight into the water.

Delta tilted her head slightly, watching as he poked his head back up to the surface and sighed happily. “Mmm… I miss water; my scales hadn’t felt that dry before.”

“Been meaning to ask, you look pretty soft fer a troll that has scales. How’s that work?”

He shifted to float on his back, raising a tail fin out of the water. “Techno trolls do have scales, but they also have small furs on them to help with colder water, and to help find currents.” He swam for the shore, and reached down into the water. He already had some lose scales, so it couldn’t hurt to show. He plucked one off, wincing slightly. He then offered it to Delta. “See? Fluffy, but still a bit hard.”

She inspected the small scale, which was tiny enough to fit on the tip of a finger. “So small… And yer covered in these?”

He wiggled his ear fins. “Head to tail tip. Yup!”

She hummed softly, and then closed her hand around the scale. “Mind if I keep this?” 

With a little shrug, he pushed himself back out into the deeper water. “Sure, it’s not like I have any need for it now that it’s off. Though I’m not sure why you want to keep it.”

“Call it curiosity.” She waved to him. “Well, I’mma head back, I hope you can get back on yer own?”

With a nod in the affirmative, Delta bid the young king good bye, heading back to town to make preparations for his departure. Sure, she’d miss the kid, but she was sure he’d be back.

After all, you can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONG: Randy Houser- How country feels
> 
> It took me nearly two hours of youtube to find a song that fit with the scene, and I still had to edit a few parts to make it make more sense.


	14. Symphonyville

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At last, Trollex arrives at the home of the Classical trolls, Symphonyville! He's down a traveling companion, but at least he knows Beat will be safe.

Now that Trollex had some time to himself, he decided to dive to the bottom of the river. After he had learned to swim through currents in the deep ocean, a slow moving river was easy, even with an injured arm. 

He jumped a bit when he felt his hair wriggle, Beat slipping out to look at him. Trollex gasped softly. “Lil buddy, you look horrible…” 

It was true, Beat look exhausted, his color now closer to yellow than green, and his glow faded considerably. “Trollex, I think I need to go back home…”

Trollex nodded, reaching out to gently pat the fishes head. “Go on Beat, I’ll be ok. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to wander out of a kelp forest and get caught up in a current.” He gave the other a knowing look.

Beat’s eyes widened. “W-What? How did you know about that…? Wait, don’t tell me…” He pointed at Trollex, clearly shocked. “It was you! That little Techno troll that saved me back then! I thought for sure you were fish food, how’d you get back?”

He laughed softly, sitting on the riverbed. “I swam back, once I figured out which way was up anyway.” He looked down at the sand that was swept away with the current. “I had a dream when I was asleep. A memory, really… Something I guess I’d forgotten.” He looked at Beat. “Is Darkness a living thing?”

The little fish gave the other a quizzical look. “No? It’s just missing light, right?”

Trollex closed his eyes, remembering some of the times he felt like the Darkness was calling to him. “Hmm, right… Just a lack of…” He needed more time to think this through. “Beat, do you want me to bring you home?”

The fish shook his head. “Nah, it’s alright. I can use the river to get back. I don’t want you to have to travel all that way just to come back out alone later. Besides, you’re half way done already! You got back three of your colors!”

That seemed to bring Trollex to a rather startling discovery. He looked down at the stripes on his good arm. “One, two… Beat, I have seven colors to me… I have three, but what about the other four? Sure, there’s still Classical, rock and Techno, but… that still leaves one color…”

Beat hummed in thought. “True… Well, for now let’s focus on what’s working. Promise you’ll send me a message every now and then, alright? You know I worry…”

The young king smiled softly and nodded. “I will, promise. You travel safe, ok Beat? I’ll be really mad if you get hurt!”

“Says the troll in a sling!” The two shared a friendly laugh, and then bid each other goodbye for now.

As Beat swam away, he couldn’t help but think back to what Trollex had said about the dark. “Could he be right…? Nah can’t be. It was probably just some nightmares from when he was younger…”

As the little fish swam through the river, he was unaware of something reaching for him from the darkness of the river bed.

Trollex sighed, closing his eyes as he rested on the river bed. He could feel the cool soothing his aching shoulder, and realized that it didn’t hurt nearly as much as before. He figured he could chance it. He flexed his fingers on his injured arm experimentally, and dubbed himself healed enough to remove the sling.

He was careful about it at least, taking the time to fiddle with the knots until they came loose. He moved his arm slowly, wincing a little as he heard a clicking sound from the joint. He couldn’t lift his arm quite as high as the other, but it was passable. 

Once he had gotten the rest he needed, he swam for the surface and dragged himself onto shore. It was a little ironic, to activate flow, he had to be dry, but his tribe needed to keep hydrated out of water. Maybe they could use spray bottles for trips to land…?

He’d have to try that out some day.

For now, since he was dry, he had to focus on getting back to Lonesome flats. He pushed himself into the air using an arm and his fins, still coddling the injured one. 

Once he made it back, he noticed that there was a colorful, flower covered balloon sitting in the center of town, with Poppy, Branch, Delta and Hickory crowded around it.

As he approached, he waved to them all. “Hey guys! Sorry that took me a while, I was seeing Beat off. He had to go back since he wasn’t feeling good.”

While at first the four were smiles, he quickly received groans of disapproval and a glare from Delta. “Trollex, why ain’t yer arm in a sling…”

He looked down at his arm and gave a nervous smile. “Techno trolls heal faster in running water.”

Branch face palmed. “That would have been great to know, all those times you’ve gotten hurt so far.”

He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. “Y-yeah, heh… Sorry about that, I probably should have mentioned something…” He looked up, and shrank slightly when he saw the large balloon looking down at him curiously. “Er, hi there. You’re big.”

The balloon giggled, wiggling a small fin at him in greeting. “Hello! My names Shelia B the Flower face Balloon, but you can just call me B! Nice to meet you!”

It was definitely Poppy that called the balloon here, if the colors were anything to go by. The queen of Pop smiled brightly. “She’s my friend, and said she’d help bring us back to the Classical trolls!”

B nodded. “Yup, I want to see it all fixed up! So what are we waiting for?” She sent a half glare down to poppy. “Just no pressing any buttons.”

Soon the three were in the balloons basket, looking down at Hickory and Delta. Trollex smiled, giving a little wave. “Sorry for leaving so suddenly you guys, I’ll be back for a visit though, with all my colors!” 

They bid each other good bye, and with that the trio was off again, with Trollex peering over the edge of the basket as they flew. “You know, I’m really enjoying the travel systems other tribes have. Pop trolls have things like B here, and that Caterbus we rode in to visit you after the tour. There there’s Funk, with the hover boards and bubbles and such… The Techno trolls should get together transport so others can visit a little easier… Oh but the barrier…”

Branch tilted his head. “Barrier?”

“Yeah, we live in a natural barrier reef system. It usually keeps things like sharks and anglers out, but it has failed in the past…” He looked out at the passing clouds. “Nearly every Techno troll alive has lost someone to one…” he closed his eyes, the breeze playing with his hair. “I think we lost a couple of eggs a few years back, to… I’ve been trying to figure out a more sure fire way to keep them out since then.”

He wasn’t aware of Poppy and Branch sharing concerned looks. Branch gently rested a hand on Trollex’s arm. “You really are a great king, Trollex. Your tribe is lucky to have you.”

Trollex smiled softly. “No, I don’t think so. For now, I’ll finish this journey, and after… Who knows, maybe I’ll pitch a system like they have in Lonesome flats? Someone chosen from the trolls to lead, rather than a kid who got the job to early…” He rested his chin on the railing. “It would probably be for the best.”

Poppy was about to speak, but a wind gust caused the basket to rock. B called down to them, bracing herself against the wind as best she could. “Sorry for the turbulence, we’re entering the mountains so the wind is changing.”

Trollex watched with awe as the clouds parted ahead of them, revealing tall mountains set in browns and golds. “Whoa… talk about a view…!”

Poppy and Branch joined him at the edge, and Poppy smiled brightly. “They finished the repairs! Wow… it looks so beautiful!”

Branch nodded, moving to the control panel. “B, I’m taking us down, alright? I’ll help you against the wind.”

B smiled. “Thanks Branch, I appreciate it!”

As the two worked together to bring B down to the ground, Trollex couldn’t contain his excitement anymore. “Meet you down there!” And he leapt out of the balloon, making his way for the glittery Symphonyville. 

One thing he wasn’t used to having to look out for other trolls as he dashed through the sky. He nearly collided with a Classical troll, until he veered off course and pulled himself into a stop. “Oh, sorry! I’m not used to having to look out any more. Are you alright?”

The little troll smiled sweetly at Trollex. “Yes, it’s alright. No one got hurt after all, right? Oh, but do excuse me, I must be off. Trollzart has asked the village to prepare for the arrival of a special guest! Oh the whole town is aflutter with excitement!” And with that, the little fairy Troll zipped off through the sky. 

Trollex tilted his head a bit. “Special guest… wonder who that could be… Oh, this is so cool! Just arrived in Symphonyville and already something is happening! Maybe I can go help?” He flicked his tail and zipped off after the little troll, catching up quickly. “Would you mind if I helped? I just arrived, and I’d like to see how things are here.”

With a smile and a nod, the classical troll agreed. “Why of course, the more the merrier! My name is Bach, now come, we mustn’t dally!” And so the two flew off together, Trollex admiring all the different things they passed. He faltered a bit when he saw the large gathering of golden glittering Classical trolls. He hadn’t realized just how similar they all looked. He must stick out like a sore thumb! 

“Er, Bach, are you sure I’ll be welcome? There don’t seem to be any other Tribes here…”

Bach smiled, clapping his hands together. “Why of course, you see, we haven’t been able to host any tribes until recently due to how much damage Symphonyville suffered, but now that repairs are at last complete, we can finally open our gates!” He sighed, resting his head in his hand. “What fortuitous timing as well. Trollzart just received word that we’re having three royals visiting already!”

He tilted his head slightly. “Three? Do you know who?”

“No, sadly. All I know is they are to arrive from the dessert side of the mountains.”

Huh, how strange, he had just come from that side. Maybe it was the Funk family? Though, who would have stayed behind if it was? “Are you sure there weren’t four?”

Bach hummed, thinking it through. “I cannot be sure, sadly. I was thought I heard Trollzart say three though…”

Trollex watched as some of the Classical trolls began to murmur excitedly to each other, a round, pink shape materializing from the clouds. Oh, it was Poppy and Branch!

“Oh, goodie! They’re here at last!” 

His eyes widened a bit and he looked over at Bach. “Wait, you’ve been waiting for that balloon? Are you sure?”

Bach nodded. “Yes, that I’m sure of. Trollex said we’d recognize the balloon from the one that flew in at Volcano rock city.”

Trollex sighed, face palming himself. Of course, he probably should have put two and two together when Bach first mentioned three royals arriving from the desert. He watched as Poppy and Branch landed and exited the balloon, caught a bit by surprise when they were greeted with a chorus of cheers. 

The cheering petered off when they realized there was only two stepping out of the balloon. Bach frowned slightly. “I thought there were to be three?”

“Oh, there is… Just so happens that the third decided to get ahead, apparently… Sorry for ruining your surprise, though the welcome is wonderful.” He turned to a stunned Bach, holding out his hand for a hand shake. “I’m Trollex. King of the Techno trolls.” For now, he added to himself.

Clearly the classical troll hadn’t thought his new friend was a king, let alone the one they had been eagerly awaiting. With a sudden gasp, Bach grabbed Trollex by the hand. “We must get to the front; the whole tribe is so excited about this! Oh, this is so wonderful, come!” He guided Trollex over the crowd, and towards Poppy and Branch, who were a little caught off guard by the mass greeting.

It was then Trollzart flew over, smiling sweetly. “Welcome, welcome! Now that Symphonyville is fully repaired, we are happy to welcome you! Queen Poppy and King branch of the Pop trolls, and king Trollex of the Techno trolls! Please, enjoy my tribe’s hospitality.”

Poppy and Branch bowed courteously, with Trollex following soon behind. 

Trollzart turned to his tribe, opening his arms wide. “Now, don’t forget to be on your best behaviours, we must make a good first impression.” He gave a little bow. “You are all welcome to do as you please now.” 

The congregation didn’t disperse fully, many of the flying trolls simply turning to each other to gossip while others flew home, some others still pulling small musical instruments from the hair to practice their craft.

Trollex watched as the once organized group dissolved slightly into a field of gold and cotton candy colors. He turned to Trollzart, brow arching curiously. “You guys are pretty energetic, hmm? Yet your music is so tame and calming compared to some of the others.”

Trollzart smiled and nodded. “Yes, it is true that your music’s all tend to be very upbeat, or energetic, but that isn’t to say that Classical can’t invoke the same emotions that, say, another music can.” He looked out over his trolls. “It just takes a little more order for us, that is all.”

That had his attention. “Order? I always thought music was more passion than planning…”

“Not for us, no. To have a classical orchestra, everyone must be in their places, listen for their cue, and keep the tempo, so one does not go faster than another.” Trollzart laughed softly. “Aah, but where are my manners, I have not formally introduced myself, have I?” He turned to them, offering a bow of his own. “My full name is Wolfgang Amadeus Trollzart, and it is a pleasure to have you here.”

Poppy whistled, grinning up at Trollzart. “That’s a mouthful, no wonder you go with just Trollzart!”

The jovial little troll laughed at the comment, much to a worried Branch’s relief. “Well, Poppy, I’m going to make sure B will be ok, you can go explore with Trollex if you like.”

Poppy nodded, grabbing onto Trollex’s arm and pulling him close, the latter barely able to hide a wince from the jolt. “Sure, Branch! Catch you on the flip side~!” And with that, the two were off, with Trollzart leading the way for a tour. 

Trollex found no shortage of interesting things, darting off almost constantly to look at shiny or sparkly things, which were plentiful in this tribe. At one point, Trollex ended up fawning over a heard of eighth goats being herded along. 

When he heard Trollzart and Poppy laughing softly, he realized what he was doing and blushed. “Sorry, there aren’t many shiny things in the ocean like there are on land. I get kinda distracted easily…”

Trollzart shook his head. “It is no trouble, I assure you. It is a great relief that you are enjoying my home. Would you like to see the concert hall? We built it while working on repairs, so we can host other Tribes and their music freely.”

Poppy’s eyes widened, practically sparkling like a glitter troll does. “Ooooh, I wanna see! Let’s go!”

As they made their way to the concert hall, Trollex paused, looking around at the hills. Something felt off, but he couldn’t put his fin on it…

It must just be his imagination… right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I beg you, if you read these chapters, go enjoy some of Gustavo Dudamel's music along with it. He's the voice actor for Trollzart, and a wonderful conductor. His voice is as adorable as ever though.


	15. Heart Strings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex learns more about Symphonyville, and comes to realize that all of the tribes suffered at the hands of Rock.

Trollex was used to wide open spaces when it came to musical gatherings, though in his defence, his tribe could move about in three dimensions during their Techno rave parties. He recalled fondly the feeling of instincts to follow the music kicking in, regardless of where it led you. 

As such, seeing a large hollow carved from one of the mountains for a stage, with a canopied sitting area for the audience was a little bit of a strange concept. He looked around the seating area, before heading for the stage through the air. 

Poppy was clearly confused about the set up though. “Trollzart, where do you dance?” 

Trollzart offered a patient smile. “I assumed one of you might ask that. You see, the classical music we play in not always something one dances to. Yes, one would be able to dance to the music, should they choose, but ours is one that carries the soul along the melody… Ah, fortuitous timing, perhaps we might get a performance?” 

The queen of pop tilted her head, and then looked back towards the stage, noticing at last that there was one Classical troll on the stage, an instrument held in their hand.

Trollex gasped sharply, darting for the stage. “Bach, is that you?” He wasn’t entirely sure how he knew, but somehow he was sure that the small troll on stage was the one he met when he first arrived. 

Bach jumped a little, gasping softly before looking up. “Ah, king Trollex! Pardon me, I didn’t expect Trollzart to bring you here, I’ll leave if you wish.”

He zipped down, shaking his head. “No, it’s alright, stay! I’m glad to see you again actually.” He looked down at the instrument that Bach was holding. “What’s that you got there?”

Being asked that seemed to light a fire in Bach as he smiled brightly. “Ah, you mean my violin? It’s my preferred instrument, though I can use others. Would you like to hear a small melody?”

He nodded eagerly, drifting down to the floor of the stage before sitting, folding his fins to tuck under himself. “I’d love to! I’ve never heard a violin before.”

Bach nodded, shaking himself loose a moment before sighing. He brought the violin up, resting his chin on the rest and lightly setting the bow on the strings. After a moment of preparation, Bach began.

Trollex didn’t know when he closed his eyes, but he ended up surrendering himself to the music, his eyes having shut as he listened to the mournful tune of the string instrument. Despite the emotion clear on the tune the strings produced, he found it calming. 

He hadn’t realized that he had become so engrossed within the music, his heart beating slowly to the melancholy sound. As the tempo began to slow, he found himself getting tired, his heart pulsing slower and slower to match the pace. 

“Wait, Trollex, what’s happening?” He distantly registered Poppy’s voice as his mind drifted away, and he fell into a calm sleep.

As soon as Trollex thumped lightly onto his back, Bach stopped the music, setting down the violin and flying to the sleeping Trollex’s side. “Oh no! Trollzart, this has never happened before… Is he alright?”

Trollzart hovered over, Poppy following as well. The two leaders looked down at Trollex, which was when Trollzart seemed to realize something. He floated down, setting a hand on his own chest, and then Trollex’s.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the beating in their chests. 1-1 2-1 3-2 4-2 He opened his eyes again, tilting his head slightly. “I think… I think he may have fallen unconscious when his heart slowed, but I’ve no idea why it may have slowed in the first place…”

Poppy bit her lip, looking between the two concerned Classical trolls, and then gently patted Trollex on the cheek. “Hey, Trollex, wake up…!” 

They were all a little surprised when Trollex’s heart suddenly gave a strong pulse, the troll in question grumbling tiredly and wriggling slightly, as if to get away from the pats.

The three shared a look, and then all began poking and nudging Trollex in an attempt to wake him. When Poppy mistakenly gave his injured shoulder a poke, the aquatic troll suddenly sat bolt upright, just barely giving the three time to move out of his way.

Trollex gently held his shoulder, looking around with an expression of evident confusion. “What happened…?”

Poppy smiled brightly, pulling him into a hug. “Oh man Trollex, you just passed out all of a sudden! We were so worried!”

Trollzart nodded, gesturing to his own chest. “Yes, it was rather alarming. Your heart rate was half the speed of mine, perhaps slower still.”

Trollex looked over at Bach, who seemed to be about to pull his hair out with worry. “Half the… Oh, wait! The music… It got slower, right? I wasn’t imagining that part, it got slower.”

Bach paused a moment, then nodded. “In a sense yes, I use longer held notes to give the illusion of slowing the tempo, why…?”

Trollex sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “Did you guys ever wonder why Techno has such a fast tempo, nearly every time? The music my tribe is used to has another purpose for us. Our hearts sync to the music we listen to, so if it gets to slow, we fall asleep. If it gets too fast, well…” He gave a little lop sided shrug. “It’s not good, I’ll say that.”

Trollzart fluttered a little closer, looking the king of Techno over appraisingly. “Fascinating… Truly we are all unique.”

Bach glanced back at the violin, then down at Trollex. “I am very sorry for that, King Trollex, I wasn’t aware that was even a possibility…”

Trollex pushed himself off of the floor of the stage, stretching his back out a bit. “It’s alright Bach, you didn’t know. Not even many Techno trolls know. My parents told me to keep it in the family before they passed, so I just keep my music from getting to fast, and we don’t have to worry too much.”

Poppy tilted her head. “But if you’re the only one that knows that, then how do you stop the other Techno trolls from making their music to fast?”

“Oh, that’s easy. No one else in the Tribe can produce the music we listen to. You need equipment, and that stuff is really hard to work. Plus you get the fact that none really try to learn and you’re left with no danger of anyone getting hurt.”

Poppy and Trollzart both seemed utterly shocked by this. 

“Wait, so NO ONE else in your tribe makes music? At ALL? It’s ALL you? What about now, you’ve been gone for a few days, what’s your tribe doing about music?” Poppy rubbed her head, clearly not quite registering this.

Trollex looked down at his tail, folding his arms over his stomach. “Well, we haven’t… we haven’t had any music at all since the after the tour. My equipment got destroyed, and repairs can take a few months, since we have to wait for any injured critters to heal and any broken coral to re-grow…” He closed his eyes. “We’ve all been stressed down there, so after the first tribe opened their gates, we’ve been going to enjoying ourselves outside of the water… It’s very quiet down there without music.”

Poppy let out a soft whimper, then pulled Trollex into a hug, which surprised the young king. “Ooh, Trollex…! No wonder everything happened… Just a kid and all that…” She nuzzled into his cheek, causing him to blush lightly.

Trollzart seemed to have heard the kid comment. “I do not think calling him a child is right, Queen Poppy. He is, after all, a king of a tribe.”

Trollex sighed, already preparing for the shock. “That’s the thing though, Trollzart, I AM a kid, sort of. I’m 19, and I’ve been running my Tribe for about 4 years alone.”

Trollex got a rather surprising reaction, as Trollzart slumped slightly in the air. “Oh my… I feel so old now…! Young pups…” He sighed. “King Trollex, just because you are young, does not speak anything of your prowess as a leader. After all, some may say I am… How does it go? ‘Over the hill’?”

It was Trollex’s turn to be curious. “What? How old are you anyway?”

The golden troll blushed; turning his cheeks a deep sunset color. “Um, I am…” He muttered the number quietly, prompting a look from Poppy. He sighed, relenting to them. “I’m…coming up to 60…”

Poppy’s jaw nearly dropped. “You’re older than my dad!”

Trollzart puffed his chest. “I am still young at heart though, you whippersnappers...” Clearly the conductors pride had taken a beating. 

Trollex smiled, glad that he wasn’t the only one with a strange age for a ruler, apparently. Though he would personally rather be closer to the golden troll’s age than his own. That’s when he thought of something. “Trollzart, if you’ve been around as long as you have, do you know anything about color loss?”

“Oh, yes, a few small facts pulled from other tribes, and our own literature. Though from what I recall of you, and your appearance now, I assume that you want our help with the return of your color?” Trollzart smiled at the looks of shock on the two royals faces. “It is not hard to guess, you know.” He could hear Bach snickering softly behind him. He could still school the young’uns.

“Um, right… Well, yeah, that about sums it up, but do you know anything about the story of the rainbow troll? That’s the system we have to follow. I’ve gone to a few other tribes and got their colors, but I’m still missing some.”

Trollzart glanced at Trollex, and then nodded. “I see, yes. But if it is color you need, how does it return?”

“Oh, music! Or at least, music and a little something else. When he came to Pop village, we figured it out there! He joined us in a song, and got really into it, and suddenly he got pink back! It happened with Funk and Country to!”

“Hmm… that may be difficult here, then…” Trollzart tapped at his gem again. “Classical music is not something that happens suddenly. It takes planning… I can send word through the tribe, but it is up to them, and even then it will take until tomorrow for us all to be prepared…”

Trollex’s ear fins drooped. “Aw man… I guess there’s no helping it… Maybe we could stick around? Spend some time in Symphonyville while you prepare?”

Trollzart smiled and nodded. “That can be arranged. We have a few vacant places; you can stay there for the time being when you wish to rest. Bach?” The classical troll flew up to Trollzart’s side. “Could you perhaps show King Trollex to home near the river? It should be a quick flight for him to go to the water if he wishes.” He turned to Poppy next. “I can show you to a place of your own.”

Poppy offered a nervous smile and a small headshake. “No, I can’t stay… I promised that I’d be back to Pop village by tonight, and I still have to go see Quince and Essence before then.”

Trollex perked up, his fins high again. “You’re going to go see aunty and uncle? Can you say high to them for me?”

She giggled softly and nodded. “Yeah, no problem! I’ll see you around, ok? I’ll try to meet you by the time you get to Volcano Rock city!” She ran off, waving back to them.

Trollex felt a buzz of fear in the back of his mind. He had honestly been avoiding anything to do with Volcano rock city and the rock trolls there. It only just now seemed to hit him that if he was to get his color back, that was the next stop. He turned to Trollzart, forcing a smile that never reached his eyes. “Take your time, Trollzart; I’m not in any rush…”

The conductor nodded, turning again to Bach. “If you’d please, Bach. I’ll go and ask the tribe for their help returning our friends color.” He turned to leave, but paused. “Please feel free to explore Symphonyville at your leisure, King Trollex. I will come by to invite you for tea later, if you are interested.” And with that, the conductor left the hall, leaving Bach and Trollex in the large area alone.

Bach smiled at Trollex. “Shall we be off, King Trollex? It is a few minutes flight from here. It would have been longer were you bound to the ground as other trolls are.” He flitted a bit higher into the air. “Follow me!” And so the two left, making their way through the village. Trollex was surprised that this time, he could hear different instruments from every home. He wasn’t even sure he’d have been able to identify any of the sounds, even if he knew what produced them. 

At one point, Trollex had to pause and look around when he heard a loud, sharp crashing sound. “What was that?!”

The golden glittering troll paused, tilting his head a little. “Hmm? Oh, someone must be practicing with their symbols. Quite common near Percussion point.” 

“Um, what? What’s Percussion point mean?” Trollex looked around; noting that some of the Classical trolls seemed more tightly knit in this area, than the one he first landed in. 

“It’s where those that play things such as drums live. They tend to have louder instruments that require friends to carry, so they form tight knit groups. Those that live near Woodwind woods usually play things like the clarinet. In my district, Strings stream is where string instruments like my violin are preferred. That’s where we’re going, since it has the river flowing through it.”

Trollex hummed softly, nodding. “Wow, so you guys group up based on instruments?”

“Yes, it is much easier that way. It means we can lay out our houses so our practices do not disturb anyone else. Ah, there!” Bach flew ahead a little faster, pointing out a glimmer of blue ahead that made Trollex’s heart race. “The river is over there!”

Trollex couldn’t wait. “Race you!” And he dashed ahead. He wanted to take a dip in the river, and maybe invite Bach for a swim. The small troll quickly caught up, and smiled brightly at Trollex before passing him completely. He almost stumbled in the air, not having expected the Classical trolls to be so fast! By the time he caught up, Bach was hovering beside the river, laughing softly as Trollex panted a bit. “How…are…you…so…fast…!?”

He gestured at his stature. “We are small and light and I assume our flight is more natural to us than flight is to you?”

Trollex hadn’t thought of it that way. He was a natural swimmer, his Flow ability just so happened to let him swim in the air, though it was flawed. Air was thinner than water, and that did affect his movements. “Huh… Yeah, actually.” He grinned. “But I’m betting I’m better in the water than you are.”

Bach laughed at that. “I would not doubt your prowess in the water, King Trollex. But for the time being, allow me to show you to your lodgings. I must leave you to prepare for the concert tomorrow.” 

He was a little sad that he’d be left alone, but it couldn’t be helped. He gave a nod and followed Bach to a nearby hill, which had an entrance near the top that they flew down through. Once inside, Trollex’ breath caught.

There were no lighting systems in place, instead the light inside seemed to be produced from crystals formed from the walls, which gave of a soft, golden glow. In this light he saw a soft bed, an area to prepare food, and a sitting area with a small bookshelf. “Whose place was this before?”

Bach was silent for a moment. “When we were attacked by the Rock trolls, we all fought to the best of our ability, but…” He looked away. “We are small… We are not built for conflict…” He closed his eyes, sighing softly. “We lost many…”

Trollex looked around again. At the books stacked so neatly on the shelf, at the bed, at all the things that were once used by another troll, now left behind thanks to the rock trolls. “I’m… I’m sorry for your loss, Bach…” 

“No, it… it is in the past. We have mourned. We will always remember, but we will move on.” Bach smiled at Trollex. “So long as we have our conductor, we have a guiding light to look to. We will be just fine.”

Once the two bid each other good bye, Trollex left the small home and headed for the river. As kind as it was for the Classical trolls to offer him a place to stay, he doubted he would use it. As he lay at the bottom of the river, staring up through the rippling surface at the bright blue sky, he thought about what Bach had said.

The Classical trolls had fought alongside their conductor, to the point some were lost in the combat. Had the other tribes suffered the same? They all seemed so jovial. Even Poppy sounded excited to go and see the Rock trolls. 

He shut his eyes, remembering the screams of his tribe. He remembered the feeling the music they played gave him. Anger. Not just from what they were doing, but from the music’s natural energy as well. He wasn’t sure he wanted to get back his color, if it meant going to the rock trolls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry everyone for disappearing a bit! Some stuff happened irl and well, after that I sprained my wrist. I can keep it in a bandage but I can't draw. Typing hurts but I can survive it. 
> 
> Also, the heart sync thing is something I have, though I made it more... erm, fine tuned? To the trolls unique world. Essentially, if mumsic is either to loud, or to fast, heart palpitations, slow and loud and out like a light. Only dfference rests in vollume between me and the techno's
> 
> And yes, it will be applied, it isn't just a thing to be weird, I promise.


	16. Extended family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sea and sky find common ground. The youngest and the oldest form a bond

Trollex had, at some point, fallen asleep in the river, snoring softly as the current washed over him. He had always forgotten how nice it felt sleeping under water. Of course, that meant the only really comfortable thing there was to sleep on was sea sponges, but that was the price he paid.

Of course, sleeping under water had its disadvantages, such as when someone is looking for you, and can’t for the life of them find you. 

Such was the position Trollzart found himself in. He knew that Bach had brought Trollex over to this part of town, and he knew that the aquatic troll would like the water, but he himself couldn’t dive in. Classical trolls weren’t able to use their wings in the water, needing to rely on their rather stumpy arms and legs. To make matters worse, they had to wait for their wings to dry before they could fly again.

At this point, he had two options. He could either give up the search, or start tossing rocks into the river and hope he managed to hit Trollex.

That idea was quickly discarded, leaving only the one. He sighed, looking up towards the clouds. “Ooh, how could I lose one of our firsts guests… how embarrassing…” His hand drifted down to his stomach, tapping lightly at the gem there. He always did it when nervous or thinking. Their histories said that there was once an entire race of trolls, called treasure trolls, with gems in their bellies capable of granting wishes.

There was, of course, no proof that the gems could. It still calmed Trollzart whenever he would tap the gem. He closed his eyes, thinking. He couldn’t just give up the search. He needed to come up with something. He looked towards the river again, and approached. Trollex said that music affects him, so perhaps…

Trollzart zipped off. He knew that when they repaired the home that he put Trollex in, they had left the original occupants instrument. It didn’t take him long to find it, pulling it from its stand. He wasn’t very proficient in the Mandolin, but he could work with it. 

He flew back to the river, and took up a position hovering above it. “Now, let’s see…” He didn’t have a pick, but this would have to do. He played a few notes by plucking lightly on the strings, tuning it slightly, and then deeming it ready. 

He began to play a chipper and up beat melody, though he played a few missed notes by mistake. He closed his eyes and focused less on the strings, and more on the music in his heart he used to guide his tribe by. 

Trollex could feel his heart beating a little faster, rousing him from his peaceful rest. He let out a groan, rubbing his face. “Ugh… what’s going on…?” He looked up, and saw a distorted image of Trollzart above him, holding some kind of instrument. “Huh…?” He flicked his fin and made his way to the surface, poking his head out of the water.

Trollzart didn’t seem to notice him right away, focused more on the tune than anything else. Trollex could tell somehow through the melody that the conductor was unsure of himself right now. Weather in general or just with the instrument he couldn’t say. “Is everything alright, Trollzart?”

The troll in question let out a squeak, dropping the instrument in his fright. It was lucky Trollex was right below, as he was able to easily catch it. Upon seeing the Mandolin safe, Trollzart let out a sigh. “There you are, King Trollex… I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” 

He arched a brow at that. “What time is it…?” He looked around, seeing that the sky had begun getting dark. 

“It’s nearly 9 at night, I came to get you around 5 or so in the afternoon for tea time, but no one had seen you since Bach brought you here. Is the home not to your liking…?”

Trollex’s eyes widened, now worried he had insulted his host. “What? No, no! The house is wonderful! It’s just… Well, I heard what happened to your trolls…And it felt wrong for me to stay in a home that someone could never return to…”

The conductor smiled softly, floating down to talk a little easier with Trollex, hovering just above the surface of the water. “You have a big heart, King Trollex… I thank you for your concern, but rest assured, the former owner would have been more than happy to host you were they still with us… How about this as an alternative. You could stay with me for the night; I have a guest bedroom you can use.”

“Wait, are you sure? I don’t want to be a problem…” 

Trollzart waved a hand. “I do not mind one bit. It will be nice to have someone around. It’s been so quiet. I can’t often have my grandtrolls come over anymore.”

Trollex blinked for a moment. “Wait, grand… You’re a grandpop!?”

“Yes, did you forget I am rather high in age…?” Trollzart laughed a little when Trollex blushed rather deeply.

“Ah, right….Sorry about that…” Trollex rubbed at the back of his head, his ear fins drooping a little. It was then he remembered he was holding an instrument. “Um, what do I do with this?” He held out the mandolin to Trollzart, who lifted it gently.

“I’ll return it, and then we can carry on our way to my home. Shall we?” Trollex nodded, and so Trollzart turned to leave, pausing when Trollex called up to him.

“Um, give me a few minutes and come back, actually. I can’t fly right away when I get out of the water. I’ll dry off and we’ll leave when you get back, alright?”

That gave Trollzart pause. “You can’t? We can’t either, not right after getting wet. We need to dry our wings first.” He looked at the Mandolin a moment, then back to Trollex. “I will return as quickly as I can.” And with that, he zipped off. 

Trollex pulled himself onto the river bank, already missing the water. He sighed, lying on his belly with his arms crossed under his chin, his fins held in the air a bit. He watched the stars glittering overhead, and smiled a little. “You don’t get to see stars when you’re in the deep sea, but… they sort of remind me of the little fish we have back home…” He sighed, closing his eyes. “I miss Beat… I should send a message to him when I get to Trollzart’s… I hope he has something that can get a message to the LED palace at least…”

He remembered when he watched Beat turn to swim back home down the river near Lonesome flats. He knew that it was a long trip, but he’d let his friend go all on his own. “I should have gone with you, little buddy. I hope you’re safe…” 

His eyes snapped open when he felt eyes on him. He sat up; flicking his tail in an attempt to get away from whatever was watching him.

He was still wet though, Flow hadn’t kicked in yet. 

He looked around wildly, looking for whatever may be watching him, or any sign of danger. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful. That’s when it hit him. 

Why was it so quiet?

He looked to the river, which was one burbling softly, was now completely still and silent. That didn’t happen naturally. He felt his heart racing, the colors he did have glowing a little brighter as a self defence mechanism. Anything could be out there.

It was then he felt something wrap around his injured arm and jerk him towards some nearby bushes. He let out a pained cry, feeling still tense muscles stretched in an attempt to keep the arm in its proper place. That seemed to startle whatever had grabbed him into letting him go. 

He scrambled away as quickly as he could manage, cradling his arm as he struggled to stand upright on his fins. He stared at the bush, waiting for something to leap out at him and attack. After a few moments, he realized something. He could hear the river again. Even so, he didn’t take his eyes off the bush, not even once.

Not even when Trollzart returned. “Sorry it took me so long, King Trollex, but for some reason—what’s wrong…?”

“Something tried to grab me… It’s in the bush there; it hasn’t left… whatever it is…” He was a little shocked when Trollex entered his vision and made his way for the bush. “Wait, what if it attacks you to?”

Trollzart smiled. “Despite my size and age, I am still rather strong. Now, let’s see what we have here…” He parted the bush, ready to defend himself if needed. He was rather shocked though to see nothing within. “Are you sure it never left…?”

He nodded. “Positive. I haven’t stopped watching the bush since it struck. I haven’t even seen it shake a little… It has to be in there…” Even though he knew he was right, he couldn’t help the dread of the implications that whatever it was, wasn’t there anymore.

He could tell the other was shaken, holding his arm gently, but there really wasn’t anything in the bush, nor any way to escape the area without being seen. The only thing he found in the bushes was darkness. He turned to Trollex, giving him a sympathetic look. “There is nothing here now… I don’t know what to say, but I trust you that something happened here…”

Trollex smiled a little, finally looking Trollex in the eyes. “Really…? You do believe me? Even without proof?” When Trollzart nodded, he let out a relieved sigh. “But… why?”

“On my way back, a troll approached me, saying they couldn’t get their instrument to work… I wish I had come sooner, but I stopped to help the troll solve their problem… That’s when suddenly, without any warning, they were able to play again… It was a very curious event…” Trollzart looked back towards the bush again. “But perhaps if I had returned sooner, I could have helped you…”

Trollex shook his head, instincts warring with logic. “No, it’s alright… I have a feeling they were connected… somehow…” He glanced towards the water, remembering the deep dark ocean of his home. “Besides… you can’t fight what you can’t touch…”

“What do you mean by that…?” He flew over towards Trollex, setting a hand gently on his arm, causing the young king to wince. “Perhaps we should get you home… come, it is not far.” With a silent nod, Trollzart began guiding Trollex back to his home, noting that the other just drifted along wherever he was guided. 

In fact his mind was elsewhere, thinking to the feeling of dread he had when the river went quiet. It reminded him of when Beat swam away, and of when he was lost in the ocean as a child. He closed his eyes, trying to recall something. He knew it was important, but for some reason whenever he reached for the memory, it would slip away. It acted like a scared little fish, fleeing from a predator. 

He jolted a bit when the other spoke. “Are you alright, Trollex?” Trollex was a little surprised the other hadn’t used the king title, which Trollzart noticed. “I apologize if you want me to keep using your title, but this seems more a conversation for a calm and relaxed environment. I’ll make us tea and we can have a nice chat, hmm?” He offered a sweet smile. “Don’t worry, sonny. You’ll be fine.”

He smiled a little, following the other into his house. Trollzart brought up images of a kindly old grandpa that spoiled his grandkids absolutely rotten, which Trollex had to admire. Once inside that image was only enforced, with countless images of tiny young Classical trolls, all crowded around him in many different scenes. The conductor looked so genuinely happy with his kids and grandkids.

He paused at one particular picture, with a young Trollzart standing with two older Classical Trolls, presumably his parents. The picture was old, too old even for it to have been in color. “Trollzart, can I ask what happened to your parents…”

The elder troll hummed a tune as he made his way to the kitchen, setting a kettle on for tea. “Oh, they passed away many years ago. Much younger than even I am now. Though it was of natural causes…” When he came back into the room, he gave the other a sympathetic smile. “I assume it was not the same for yours…?”

Trollex perked up at that, staring at the old troll as he chuckled softly. “It is not a hard guess. You are young, so it would make sense that if you are a king, something happened to the former rulers…”

He sighed, sitting himself in a nearby chair. “Can I wait for the tea…? I’ve lived through this again and again, so many times recently… I’d rather have something to calm my nerves first…”

“Of course, I do not mind at all.” Trollzart remained near the kitchen entrance, waiting for the kettle to whistle. Once it did, he moved through his cupboards until he found a calming chamomile tea, and began to make it. He set the cups on a tray, as well as a small plate of homemade cookies, and carried them to the Livingroom. “Tea is ready; I brought cookies as well if you like.”

Trollex gratefully accepted a cookie, taking a small bite out of it. As soon as he did his eyes widened, and he took a few more bites. “Mmmm…. Oh wow, these are great! Where did you get them?” 

“I made them myself, of course.” Trollzart puffed his chest slightly at the look of awe the other gave him. “You have the same reactions my little ones did when they learned I could bake.” 

He blushed, hiding his face behind the tea cup. “S-Sorry, I just… don’t really know how to cook or bake. The palace attendants still… care for me…” He looked away, ashamed at himself for not learning that essential skill. 

Trollzart took a small taste of his tea, smiling. “I am ready to listen, for whenever you wish to speak. You can even speak with yourself if you wish.”

And so he did. Trollex told the elder troll about his parents, about when and how it happened, and how his reign had gone so far, what happened when Rock attacked, and everything that had happened on his journey so far. 

Once he was done, Trollex found he felt…lighter. He smiled a little, looking down into his tea. Despite how many times he told this story, this one felt the least painful. All the others had the same reaction, but Trollex just offered to listen. He was happy the others cared, but Trollzart was calm right through to the end.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Trollzart smiled. “Truly the next generation is strong… I don’t think I have anything to worry about, if this is how the leaders of tomorrow are.”

That got him to look at Trollzart, and he tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if there are rulers as strong and wise as you, then I think young trolls are in good hands…” At the look of shock and mild mistrust, Trollzart continued. “You see, many children that go through what you have can’t work through it, and may eventually take the wrong path… But despite all that has happened to you, you still fight for your tribe. You still fight for their wellbeing… That’s a leader one can trust…”

“You looked for help when you hit a low point… that is strong, Trollex, not weak… A leader that can show emotion and hardship is no failure. In fact, that’s what makes them strong…”

Trollex held his cup a little tighter, his tears falling into it. “I… Trollzart, I….”

Trollzart smiled brightly, like he does in the pictures. “Please, you can call me grandpop, if you like.”

He could feel his heart beating strongly, and remembered how he used to use that as an anchor. Now, he had so many friends and family he could talk to. He didn’t feel so alone anymore.

Maybe he could be a good king, after all…?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, I didn't think anyone would worry about me... But thank you all for the well wishes! I'm glad people are enjoying the story I have to tell!


	17. Neoclassic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At long last, Trollex gets back his yellow!

After so much excitement, Trollex was more than happy to accept Trollzart’s offer of going to sleep, smiling as the older troll insisted on tucking him in. “I promise, I’m fine! I can put myself to bed…”

The jovial old troll just shook his head at that. “Oh yes, I know you can, but I want to. Don’t deny an old troll these simple pleasures.”

He had to relent after that, snuggling into the covers after he was tucked in. It wasn’t long before he was snoring softly, his ear fins twitching slightly. 

Trollzart bit his lip a bit. “My oh my, he is rather cute, isn’t he…” He left the room quietly, leaving the door open just enough to let a little light in. He then sighed softly and sat in his usual chair with a good book. He needed a little time to collect his thoughts, and a good novel always put his mind at ease enough to think.

A few chapters in, and Trollzart ended up snoring softly in his lounge chair, book rested on his chest and tea cup empty on the table beside him.

Come morning, Trollex awoke to a wonderful smell that nearly pulled him out of bed on its own. He followed his lack of nose into the kitchen, and found Trollzart within making breakfast. “Ooh, what are you making? It smells so good…!”

Trollzart let out a small squeak, nearly dropping his ladle before laughing softly, turning to Trollex and revealing that he wasn’t wearing his usual conductors robes, but instead a fluffy bathrobe, with an apron draped over him that said ‘Stand back, grandpa is grillin’ and Trollex had to cover his mouth to stifle his laughter. Trollzart seemed otherwise unperturbed. 

“Good morning, Trollex! I thought you might like a little breakfast before the concert. It’s scheduled for a little bit before noon. I hope you are ok with that?”

Trollex was having a REALLY hard time calming himself. “Y-Yeah, it’s—ha-ha, it’s fine…! Hehehe…!” 

Trollzart set his hands on his hips and puffed his chest out a little, showing off the apron. He feigned frustration, though it was clear he was joking about. “I don’t know what you’re laughing at, young’un.”

“Nothing! Nothing, just your apron is awesome… hehe!” 

“Oh this? Stylish, isn’t it?” He struck a pose, which was the straw that broke Trollex’s will. He nearly fell to the floor, clutching his stomach as he laughed. Trollzart played it up. “I was told it is the height of fashion, don’t you agree?”

He chuckled softly when the young king whipped a tear from his eyes, barely able to start calming himself. Once he could speak without a snicker, he finally returned his attention to Trollzart, who had thankfully finished cooking and hung his apron up again. “S-Sorry, Trollzart, it’s just… that was a great apron~”

Trollzart smiled brightly. “I know, one of my grandtrolls got it for me.” He tried to pick up the two dishes, but Trollex dashed forward and took them both, holding them up. 

“Let me help, you’ve done a lot for me already.” 

“Oh, you’re such a sweet boy. Thank you, I do appreciate it. We can eat in the living room, if you like? I have a tub if you wish to wash up, and I can have some clothes prepared for you.” 

While Trollex had once again planned on saying he didn’t need so much, the look Trollzart gave him said there was no room for argument. “Alright, grandpop…” The smile that lit Trollzart’s face could have brightened the deep ocean. 

Once they had finished eating together, Trollex asking Trollzart about his large branching family, and Trollzart asking about Trollex’s home in the reef, the young king decided it was time for a nice bath. He ran the water, at first ready to use regular cold water, before Trollzart showed him the hot water tap. 

Needless to say, once the tub was filled and Trollex slid in, he was in heaven. He sighed, letting his head sink below the surface. It was a little harder to breath in hot water, but not too much worse. He decided it was long overdue for some self-care. He began to rub at his fins, the extra loose scales flaking off and the dirt finally getting properly cleaned from under them. He hummed a soft tune, admiring the colors on his arms.

He had gotten back pink, purple, and orange. If the concert today went well, he’d have yellow, if he was right. All he needed now was his blue, which he assumed was from his own tribe, red, which was most likely his next stop at Volcano rock city, and… 

He stared at the normally bright green stipe near his wrist. What would get him his green? Was there another tribe no one else knew about? If that was the case, how would he get his green? It might come back with the blue when he got it, but… something told him it wouldn’t be that easy. 

He sighed, sinking below the surface until his eyes were level with the water. He watched it ripple with his movements, watching the water lap gently at the side of the tub. He missed home so much. He watched one of his scales float to the surface, still dark enough to almost be black. He reached out and lifted his hand from bellow it, catching it in a little pool of water in his palm.

His scales were so thin, were they supposed to protect him? He wished they were thicker… Then he could have saved everyone. No one would have gotten hurt. He closed his eyes, recalling the little home that Bach took him to. “How many were lost, anyway…?”

He sighed softly, tilting his hand and letting the water fall back into the tub, taking the little scale with it. “I really hope things are ok in Techno reef… Oh! I forgot to ask Trollzart if he had any way to send a message…” He pulled himself out of the tub, his fins slapping lightly against the floor as he steadied himself. 

Once he remembered how to walk for a moment, he approached the sink where Trollzart had set aside an outfit for him. When he unfolded it, he couldn’t help but smile. It was similar in style to Trollzart’s usual jacket, but this one had rainbow stripes along the arms in his usual pattern, and a pixel design like his tail going up the tailcoat.

He slipped into it, adjusting it slightly and making sure it looked spiffy. He took a few moments to admire his reflection, noting that when he moved around, the colors on the jacket made him look more like himself than he had in days.

Once he deemed himself ready, he slipped out of the bathroom and back to the living room. He paused when he saw Trollzart hovering near a bookshelf, looking at the titles curiously. He approached, looking over the others shoulder to read the titles as well.

He could tell from the titles and spine art that most of these were some kind of fact book. He spotted one in particular that caught his eye, reaching over to point at it. “What’s that one about?” He jumped back when Trollzart let out a startled shriek.

It took the conductor a few minutes to calm himself from the scare, clutching his chest as Trollex apologized profusely. Once he could breathe properly again, he sighed. “I’m used to listening for fluttering and buzzing wings, not… wait, do you even make sounds when you fly?”

He had never really thought about it. He looked down at his tail, and then pulled a few tight loops within the room. When he stopped, he looked over at a stunned Trollzart. “Almost completely soundless…! How impressive, Trollex! Silent flight is a blessing you know! Quite a talent!”

He smiled, puffing his chest a little at the praise. “You should see when I can use track skip, its way more impressive!”

Trollzart tilted his head slightly at that. “What is ‘track skip’? I hav not heard of it before…”

“Oh! Right, well, do you remember when all the leaders did those two songs together to help us connect?” With a nod as his response, Trollex continued. “Well, I used it during those dance numbers. It’s… I guess basically a dash of sorts. It basically just lets me move how I want a little faster for a short burst.” He tapped his chin in thought. “I can’t seem to do it without my colors though…”

“Absolutely fascinating… Once your colors have returned, you must come back to show me, yes?” He jumped a little when a buzzer went off in the kitchen, and he zipped off to turn it off, then into his room to change. “Be ready in a few minutes, Trollex, we must leave soon or we will be late to our own performance!”

Trollex didn’t have much to get ready. So far he had been traveling very lightly, any gifts he had gotten were temporarily stored in D’s basket. He’d have to get Trollzart to watch over his coat, since he most likely would need to swim to the volcano for the next stop. He snuggled the jacket, smiling. He didn’t want to leave it behind, but he could come back for it later.

Once both had gotten themselves together, they flew off towards the concert hall; waving cheerily to any stunned Classical trolls they passed. They could hear gossip spreading quickly, the focus? Why was Trollex wearing a conductor’s cloak?

Once they made it to their destination, Trollzart showed his newly adopted grandson to the first row, letting him chose his seat before giving him an affectionate kiss on the for head. “I do hope you enjoy the performance, my little grand troll.”

“I will grandpop. I can’t wait to hear what you play!” He tried not to snicker at the excited murmuring that popped up around him once Trollzart made his way to the stage. 

As he looked over the stage, he noticed that everyone was grouped up, similarly to how Bach said the village was divided. He quickly found his friend amongst the strings, and offered a small wave. It seemed to catch the others attention and Bach waved back cheerily. 

After much debating with himself, Trollzart felt he chose the perfect song, especially after getting to know Trollex better. He was confident that he could use the music to connect their hearts and bring back his color. He pulled out his conductor’s baton, and gave it a few flicks of his wrist. That seemed to be enough to quiet the theater, the orchestra now fully attentive to him. Perfect. And so he began, guiding them to play the Gavotta movement of Prokofiev’s 'classical' symphony.

Once the music began, Trollex let his eyes slide shut and allowed himself to be carried by the music, if not physically like he was used to, then emotionally. Despite the lack of lyrics and a heavy beat, he found that Classical music could still guide his emotions with its energy. He could feel his heart beating strongly, smiling as he felt warmth radiating through him.

Bach blinked a bit when he saw a faint golden glow from the audience, and managed to catch sight of Trollex’s normally pink heart glowing a soft golden yellow. He nearly faltered, but returned his attention to his conductor. He could ask about it later.

As Trollzart brought the song to a conclusion, he smiled jubilantly, applauding his musicians. “Beautiful! Thank you once again for a breathtaking performance, my dear friends!” He looked back towards Trollex to see if he enjoyed the song, and his smile somehow grew bright as he saw Trollex standing with all the other Classical trolls, applauding loudly as his heart faded slowly from gold back to pink, two bright yellow stripes returned to his arms and his teeth returned to their former color. He was looking much more like himself now, and Trollzart was tickled pink!

He waved the young king up to the stage, and he shyly complied, coming to hover beside Trollzart. He was shocked when Trollzart addressed the audience, gesturing to him. “And let us have a round of applause for our first guest within our newly revived home, the young king Trollex! As well as my newest grandson!”

While at first there were cheers, they quickly petered off into curious murmuring as to whether anyone heard the last part right. At last Bach flew forward, holding his violin gently. “Um, pardon Trollzart, but did you call him your grandson…?” 

When he nodded, smiling softly, the entire building erupted in loud applause; the only thing that seemed to be holding back the Classical trolls from rushing the stage seemed to be their adherence to their manners. Of course once he left the stage he was free game, and they all knew that.

Trollex smiled nervously, leaning a little closer to Trollzart. “Alright, so, I think if I get down off the stage, I’m going to be mauled… am I right?”

He chuckled softly. “I think that would be accurate, yes. You have your yellow back; shall we send you off in style?”

“What do you mean by that…?” 

Trollzart smiled mischievously. “I may have prepared for this. Just follow my lead and it will be the exit of the century…!” He looked over to Bach. “Would you help us with Trollex’s escape?”

Bach smiled and nodded. “So long as he promises to return.” When he received a nod in affirmation, he stood at attention. “Then I am ready to do what I can.”

“Good! Now, fly stage left and pull the first lever, if you please.” As Bach flew off Trollzart glanced out over the crowd. “I have a feeling that good manners won’t hold them back much longer. You must be quick.” He turned to Trollex and smiled. “Return any time you wish, my home is always open to you.” He turned to the stage, bowing as a curtain began to descend from above. Just as it was about to cut off his view of the audience, Trollzart pointed forward with his baton. “Now go!”

Trollex needed no second bidding, but he did take a second to give his grandpop a quick hug before he darted off into the sky and straight for the skylight. 

The audience seemed stunned, temporarily unable to follow the quick aquatic troll. As soon as he was out of the building, he made his way straight for the river. Once he made it there, the Classical wouldn’t be able to follow. He hated leaving like this, but at the same time it was exciting! It reminded him of the time he hosted his first successful rave, his whole kingdom swarmed him to congratulate him!

Despite both living such different lives, the Techno trolls and Classical trolls seemed to have a great amount in common. He couldn’t wait till his trolls started coming here, they would love it! He soon made it to the river, and wasted no time, taking a deep breath before diving in, bracing for the slight shock of cold water.

Now that he was under the surface, he could allow the light current to carry him as he caught his breath. “Whoa… that was fun! Like a tribe sized game of tag…!” He laughed softly, and then realized that he was still wearing the coat Trollzart had given him. “Oh no! It’s gotten all wet…” He pouted a bit. He wanted to surface and take it off to dry it, but there was no point for now. It was already wet, so he couldn’t do much. He’d just have to dry it once he got to his next destination. 

He sighed. Next stop, Volcano rock city…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason this chapters title is "Neoclassic" Is because the song I used is actually considered one that helped start that movement. It's also fitting to bridge their generation gap. Techno, the youngest Genre, and Classic, the oldest. That's why I chose it, and why Trollzart chose it. He found the second ingredient to returning Trollex's color.


	18. Volcano rock city

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At last Trollex makes it to Volcano rock city, but after traveling with companions for so long, he's on edge by the time he arrives all alone on the pebbled beaches of the imposing island.

Once Trollex was sure he was clear of Symphonyville, he poked his head out of the water as he followed the current. He could already feel the water getting warmer from the volcano, and the water had started to taste like sulfur. 

He could feel his stomach doing flips. The last time he had faced Queen Barb alone, she nearly wiped his tribe off the map. And it sounded like that was exactly her plan from the get go. She didn’t care who got hurt, because they’d have all been rock trolls in the end. 

He rubbed at his sore arm, gritting his teeth slightly. He would have liked some back up… He could always keep following the river till it dropped him in the ocean, go get his blue first, then come back with Beat… and maybe a few other trolls. Or he could detour and drop by Pop village, and bring Poppy with him…

He sighed. No, he felt like this was something he had to face alone… He sped up a little bit, making it to the intersection between the river to Pop village and the one that led past Volcano rock city to the ocean. He continued on, the volcano finally coming into view. 

He paused to float in the water, staring up at the towering volcano. “I regret all of my decisions right now. I can’t BELIEVE I’m doing this… Ugh…” He swam forward again, twisting and tugging lightly at his fingers to try and calm his nerves. Once he made it to the pebbly beach, he sighed, starting the task of dragging himself out of the water. Once completely on dry land, he flopped onto his back and huffed, staring at the blue sky above. He was happy that the volcano didn’t ruin the view at least.

He jumped when he heard some movement nearby, and pushed himself into a sitting position. His ear fins perked up, listening for another sound. There! He heard the sound of rolling pebbles and tried to push himself to his fins, succeeding in doing little more than causing a ruckus as stones rolled out from under him. 

“Hey, did you hear that?” He froze dead in his tracks when he heard a gruff voice speak, and the sound of several footsteps approaching. He flipped onto his belly and tried to crawl away while trying to get to his fins. He really wanted flow right now…! 

It was then some bushes near by parted, Trollex barely off his stomach as he came face to face with two surly looking hard rock trolls. “Clams…”

One troll, who had long, frizzy black hair, tilted his head, setting his fists on his hips. “Is that a Techno troll? What’s he doing here?” 

“And why does he look like he’s going to scream?” The other spoke, a girl with dark blue hair that stood up like most pop trolls did. She stepped forward, and Trollex did his best to scoot back, flicking his fins to see if flow had kicked in. No luck! Why was he still wet…?

The jacket! He looked at his arms and sure enough, the jacket was so wet it would take a few hours to dry at least, and until it was, flow wouldn’t kick in… “Sea slugs! I can’t believe I was so stupid…!”

He jolted a bit when he heard the other trolls take another step forward, the female squinting a bit. “Hey, isn’t that… Oh, no way! Dude, go get Barb! I think that’s Trollex! The other one stared dumbly at his companion, making her roll her eyes. “You know, like, KING Trollex? Of the Techno trolls? Our literal NEIGHBORS?”

It took the other a moment more to realize what was happening before his eyes widened. “Oh, dude! I’ll go get Barb!” He ran off, causing the female to face palm herself before sighing and rolling her eyes. She turned back to Trollex, who was trying very hard to get the jacket off of himself. She ran over, closing the distance left between them and crouching over him. “Yo, hold on, lemme help, your arms stuck!”

He was very stuck indeed, squirming as best he could to get free on his own, but no luck. As the troll finally tugged the jacket free, he managed to scramble away, turning around again to face her. “W-Who’re you?”

She arched a brow, smirking a little. “M’ Carol, Barb’s friend, the dolt that just ran off was Sid Fret. What’re ya doing up here on land? We’ve not caught one of you up here in a WHILE.”

‘Jee, I wonder why…’ He was a little shocked by his own bitter thoughts, but wasn’t he justified in them? These trolls had already hurt so many, how could they be trusted? He half glared, his fins flicking up and down slightly in his agitation. 

Carol seemed to at least pick up on his hostility, standing and crossing her arms. “Yo, why so angry fish guy? Just chill.”

He felt himself bristle at hearing that, his ear fins twitching. He glanced over when he saw two figures approaching. It was the male from earlier, and Queen Barb. 

He glared, an electronic sounding growl buzzing through him. He tried to squash down his anger, pushing himself up onto unsteady fins. “Queen Barb.” It was an emotionless statement that sent a chill down Carol’s spine.

Barb stopped a short ways away from Trollex, and smiled at him. “Hey Fish dude, what’s up? What brings you up to our beaches?” 

She sounded so cheery, which really, REALLY did not help Trollex’s mood. He was trying his best to control his voice, but it sounded robotic in his anger. “How can you be so chipper…? Do you have any idea what you’ve put us all through…?” He felt Flow kick in at last, and floated slightly into the air, taking the Arial advantage for both intimidation and strategy. “DO you?!” His voice tore across the open beach, causing all three rock trolls to cover their ears. 

Barb looked up at Trollex, her own instincts telling her danger was afoot, and she needed to defend herself. “What the heck are you on about? What’d I ever do to you?!” She immediately regretted those words as Trollex suddenly tackled her to the beach, knocking the breath out of her. 

“What did you do? You killed so many trolls, all for what? For NOTHING! You destroyed my home, left my tribe without music! You attacked every single troll tribe and destroyed their homes! Killed their loved ones!” He pulled his arm back, hand balling into a tight fist. “You need to pay for what you’ve done!”

Barb panicked, bringing her knee up into his gut and using the upward momentum to throw him over her head. She stood up, panting as she looked towards the other rock trolls. “Get back to the city, don’t let anyone else come, you got that? This is between me and him!” She turned back to Trollex, grinning. “Bring it on, tuna fish.”

Trollex was seeing red, not focusing on Carol and Sid Fret running as fast as they could back to the volcano. He had his eyes trained on Barb, who was circling him slowly. She was leading his focus away from the volcano as best she could. 

When she slipped on a wet rock, he dove for her, letting out a growl as he swung at her, He managed to connect a hit to her chest, knocking her back before he pinned her to the beach again. “You’re no troll, you’re a monster!” His voice was broken, cracked and distorted like a computer.

She struggled to get out from under him, coughing as she tried to recover from the hit. “And you’re not? Look at yourself you pebble brain!” She reached an arm up and grabbed his arm, rolling in an attempt to tug him down and flip their pin.

He let out a pained scream, his injured arm jerking in the socket as he was thrown onto his back. He used his good arm to claw at her face, managing to scratch along her cheek before darting out from beneath her. 

The two panted, Barb whipping the blood from her cheek before licking it from her hand. Trollex held his arm tightly, shaking from the pain and anger. Why couldn’t he take her out? She was all alone, no guitar, no other rock trolls, so why couldn’t he win? “Would you just go down already?! Give up!”

Barb took up a combat position, glaring up at Trollex. “I won’t let someone else make my mistakes again.” She offered him a cheeky grin, feigning confidence. “What’cha waiting for, fish’n’chips, come at me! BRING IT!” 

Now that Trollex couldn’t use his other arm again, Barb was able to avoid his strikes easier. He’d have to get creative. He let out a sharp, piercing cry, one that hurt even his own ears. 

Barb winced, covering her ears in an attempt to at the very least keep her hearing. That’s when Trollex struck, flying down and tackling her in the chest, knocking her back a ways and landing her in the water. Perfect. He dove in after her, pushing her down deeper. “Welcome to my home, Queen Barb.” His voice was level and mechanical. “Why don’t you stay awhile? I hope you aren’t afraid of the dark…”

Barb’s eyes widened as she looked from side to side, positive that as they got farther from the surface, shadowy tendrils began to creep around them. She felt ice cold, staring wide eyed up at the young king. Was this how she went out?

He smirked a bit, digging his fingers into her shoulder and causing her to wince. “It’s cold, isn’t it…? This place used to be full of music, but you took that from us… Now I’ll take your music, to…”

Her lungs ached, and her vision began to cloud over, but through the black tendrils pulling away her consciousness, she was sure she saw someone dive into the water above Trollex.

Trollex grinned, though it was devoid of joy. Almost… almost… He was so close to getting payback for all the lives lost… That’s when he felt something yank his good arm off of Barb and pull him face first into something soft, and he felt them swimming upwards. He tried to pull away, doing his best to hit whatever had him in a head lock.

Once they broke the surface, he was finally able to pull away and look at who had grabbed him. “What’s the—“ He froze, staring up at King Quincy, who was soaking wet as he pulled himself to shore. He heard another splash nearby, and turned his head to see Queen Essence, with Barb draped over her back. “What’s…?”

“Shh, don’t talk… calm yourself down first, alright…?” Quincy spoke softly to Trollex, watching as Essence carried Barb over to the other gathered royalty, which included Poppy, Branch, Cooper, Prince D., Delta Dawn, and Trollzart, all looking worriedly over Barb as she was lain on the beach. 

Trollex growled, trying weakly to break out of Quincy’s grip. “S-She’s almost done, let me go…! I can finish this…!” 

Quincy gently rubbed Trollex’s back, shaking his head. “No, I won’t let you… We’d never get you back if you did…” 

That gave the young king pause. “What do you mean…?”

Quincy nodded his head towards the volcano, where Trollex now noticed many Rock trolls running out, yelling for their queen and friend. Ahead of them was former king Thrash, who was crying as he finally reached his daughter, falling out of his chair to pull her into a hug. Essence tried to reassure him that Barb would wake up, but that didn’t seem to calm the distraught elder troll.

Trollex felt his heart tighten at the sight. He remembered standing with the mourners of his tribe, watching as they cried over lost loved ones. He looked away, burying his face into the king’s wet fur. “What have I done…?” His voice was broken, but had lost the distorted computerized tones. “I…I’m a monster…”

King Quincy continued to gently rub Trollex’s back, smiling softly as Barb finally coughed out the water she had swallowed, sitting up slowly before getting crushed in her father’s hug. “You didn’t do anything Trollex, the anger did…Don’t let it take control, my boy…”

Trollex sobbed into the king’s chest, clinging to the damp fur as he was wrapped in Quincy’s cloak. “I should have brought yours, huh? Mine will have to do for now, at least until you’re dry…”

As the two sat together on the beach, Trollex finally turned again to look at the group surrounding Barb, only to see that the Queen was walking straight for them. He let out a small whimper, hiding his face again. He was going to get yelled at, and he more than deserved it. 

What he hadn’t been expecting was a light tap on his back, causing him to jump slightly before turning his face to Barb, who was grinning brightly, though lop sided from the scratch on her cheek. “Yo, you’re a great fighter man! You really kicked my butt!”

He blinked owlishly, staring at her. “Um… but I almost…”

She waved him off. “What matters is you didn’t, right? So water under the bridge!” She glanced down at his tail. “That’s not… offensive, right?”

Despite the whole situation, he couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Only as offensive as you thinking it is I guess? We use that term to. And probably a few others you might be surprised at…”

She laughed, giving him a light punch on the shoulder, causing him to yelp. She jumped a bit. “Oh, sorry man! Didn’t think I hurt your shoulder that bad…”

Delta’s ears perked at that, and she stepped over, glaring at Trollex, who shrunk a bit. “Which shoulder d’ya think ya hurt, Barb?” When she pointed to his right, Trollex smiled nervously. “Thought so. T’wasn’t healed from when ya fell from a bloody cactus eh? Shoulda kept on the sling?”

He blushed, shrinking a bit. When the gentle arms around him tightened slightly, his eyes widened. He had forgotten for a second who was holding him. He smiled nervously, looking up at Quincy. He couldn’t see his eyes right now as the king stared ahead at Delta. “Excuse me, but what happened…?”

Delta knew that tone of voice. Trollex was about to get a talking to by a parental figure, and he needed it! “Well, when he visited Lonesome flats, he thought it’d be a great idea to sit on a cactus…. Y’know, one of the ones that’s ten times the height ‘o any building there. ‘N then he jumped off the thing and hit the ground. Popped his arm right outta place.”

Trollex wanted to melt into the ground and disappear for a bit. When Delta put it that way it made him sound like a dolt. Which, to be fair in that case he probably was, but even so! He gave a little squeak when Quincy stood on the feet, using one arm to keep holding Trollex close. Barb knew full well this situation from experience. She caught Trollex’s attention and gave him a wink. She’d get him out of this!

Barb thought quick, running up to and getting Quincy’s attention. He stopped for a moment, looking curiously at Barb. She could tell he was rather frustrated right now. “Yo, Sequin!” That got Quincy to tilt his head, clearly not quite grasping the nickname. She just thought they sounded similar. “Think fast!” She threw Trollex’s wet coat straight at the king’s face!

As soon as the fabric hit with a wet slap, Quincy instinctively let go of Trollex to grab the fabric, and by the time he could see again, Barb and Trollex were half way back to Volcano rock city, laughing as they ran. Quincy huffed, shaking his head. “Kids…!”

Delta laughed, wiping a tear away as she stepped up beside the king. “Aw let em go. I already gave Trollex a talkin’ to when it happened. M’just glad he’s got so many who seem ta love ‘im.”

Quincy looked over towards the gathering of other leaders, and laughed as they all began to realize that Barb and Trollex weren’t anywhere on the beach now. Essence began to panic, and Trollzart started to dart around trying to look for the two. “I think he found a different way to connect the tribes…”

Delta nodded, watching as Poppy and Thrash laugh at the two panicking leaders. “Th’young’r tougher than rocks, it seems.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it probably seems like they resolved themselves to quickly, but I'll show why soon! I really hope everyone likes the scene, I had fun writing it! Action is ma jam man!
> 
> ALSO GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS I GOT MY FIRST FAN WORK OH MY GOSH IVE BEEN SCREAMING SINCE YESTERDAY PLEASE GO CHECK IT OUT ON TUMBLR AND YOUTUBE
> 
> Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxjj9bRyrkU&list=PLMVDrGloUz8x6-c_-IFmnu9PHb4O8UEKt&index=2&t=0s   
> Tumblr: https://digital-papercut.tumblr.com/post/618203177235447808/digital-papercut-hey-gamers-i-made-an-animatic
> 
> I legit can't thank you guys enough. I've gotten so much support for this story so far, and so many people are excited to see the next chapter... You guys have helped my confidence so much, so thank you all!


	19. Mischief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barb and Trollex decide to tour Volcano rock city after bonding over a little mischief. Barb plans to throw the best rock concert she can manage.

Trollex and Barb had found a quiet section amongst some of the shrubbery on the island, panting lightly as they tried to catch their breath after their mad dash to escape the overbearing older trolls. Once Trollex managed to calm himself, he sat on the ground a short distance from Barb, looking at her curiously.

He hadn’t been around Barb since after the rock tour, but she seemed more tired. She was still energetic, but it seemed to have lethargy to it. “Are you ok, Queen Barb?”

She perked up at that, tilting her head at him. “Drop the queen bit, I don’t wanna be calling everyone by titles, gets confusing with…” She ticked off on her fingers. “Three queens and three kings, plus two princes and if you include my dad and Popsqueak’s, then that’s tacking on two former kings…”

Trollex hadn’t realized how many royals there were, active or not. “OK, I see your point…but that doesn’t answer my question…”

She looked away, humming a bit. “I’m tired, that’s all. Not been getting very good sleep lately. Plus I did just get my butt kicked by a fish boy so, there’s that to.”

He blushed brightly, covering his face. “Sorry, I just… I’ve been a ball of nerves lately and I just…” He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Barb, why…? Why did you do all of that…? I don’t get it…”

Barb was silent for a while, hugging her knees to her chest. “Because… I don’t know… I had just inherited the throne from dad, and he taught me about our Rock string, and what Pop did to us… And I guess I wanted… friends? I don’t know, I wanted more than I had though. I figured if I could get all of you to be rockers, I’d have some real friends… That backfired huh? Now every tribe hates rock…”

He was a little shocked to hear that as the reason. “But why did you hurt so many trolls then…? Destroying their homes won’t make them friends…”

“I don’t know man, I really don’t! It just felt like… I don’t know, something told me that if I used all the strings like that, you guys wouldn’t even care anymore, cause you’d all be rockers…” She rubbed her head. “But… I don’t know how I even knew bringing the strings together in the first place would do that…” 

“Wait, really? I thought your dad might have known how. I know my parents never taught me anything like that… of course they kinda didn’t teach me… anything about being a leader.” He reached a hand up, pulling that broken abalone shell out and turning it in his palm, admiring the sparkle it gave off in the sun light.

Barb looked at him. “Trollex, I been meaning to ask, since I know you’re younger than me, why are you the king?” 

Trollex jumped. “Wait, how’d you know I’m young? No other leaders seem to realize it right away.”

She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “Well, honestly? I knew because I had heard it from some of the Techno trolls that washed up here a few times. It used to happen pretty often, a Techno troll would wash up on shore, either hurt, hungry, or just wanting to spend some time on the beach. We would chat with them and get an idea of what life under the sea was… It’s the reason I targeted you first… I knew you were young, I thought you’d be easy…”

That was the reason? Just because they were close on a map, and he was a kid? He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Well congrats, you chose right! We were easy…”

Barb flinched a little at the dead tone the other used. “I’m sorry, alright man? I know that won’t make up for what I did, but… If there’s anything the Rock trolls and I can do, tell us! We want to be good neighbors… We want to be good Trolls…”

He looked down at the splattering of color he had, and sighed. “Actually Barb, I’m here because I need help…”

She looked at him. “Your colors, right? You look like a weird patchwork quilt, and not a good one.”

He bristled a little at that. “Hey, not cool! I’m just… a little faded is all, just need a bit of a touch up!”

Barb laughed, grinning widely. “Hah! Yeah, sure, whatever you say fish boy.” She looked up towards the volcano. “So what do you need me to help with? I would think Funk could help out, since they got all our colors back?”

He shook his head. “Already tried, that’s how I got purple.” Explained the system they’d been needing to follow lately, and how each place he’d visited so far got him a new color. 

She whistled, clearly impressed. “So you’ve been going on a world tour of your own, huh?”

“Wait; is that what I’ve been doing…?” He thought it through, and sure enough… yeah! He had gone on a world tour, seen so many tribes, made friends and even got some new family! He smiled softly, resting a hand on his chest to feel his pulse. “I have been, haven’t I…? It’s been a lot of fun…!”

Barb laughed, standing and dusting herself off. “Well, if music and that’s what gets back your colors, let’s throw a party! We got all the leaders here; we can make it a HUGE shindig!”

Trollex sprung into the air, cheering happily. “Yeah, for sure! I can’t wait to see the rest of the city, you know, not in a cage.”

Barb blushed, shrugging her shoulders a little. “Sorry again about that, man.” She smiled. “How bout I give you a personal tour? There’s a snack shop in town that sells the BEST rock candy!”

His eyes widened a bit, and he looked down at the rocks below them. “Rock… candy?” Did the rock trolls literally eat rocks? Maybe he should be careful what he eats here… “You have any… fish?” Fish couldn’t be made of rocks, right?

She arched a brow. “Yeah, the marketplace sells fresh rock bass, why? Wait do you eat em raw?”

Trollex slumped a little. If that was a species of real fish that wasn’t made of rocks, it wasn’t a deep sea fish. “As long as I don’t have to eat rocks, I’ll eat anything…”

It was then that Barb realized what he was so concerned about. She cackled, holding her stomach. She had two choices, either play it up, or tell him the truth… Oh, such temptation! “Dude, you think we eat rocks?”

“Well, don’t you?”

That clinched it. She tried to calm herself. “Y-Yeah, totally man. Love our rocks… pfft!”

He really wasn’t sure what was so funny. He should ask if Trollzart of Quincy was willing to cook… “Wait! Ooooh man they’re going to kill me! Especially Essence…”

Barb wiped a tear from her eye, giving the other a quizzical look as she finally started to settle down. “What’cha mean? I thought they all loved you to pieces, hence why they’re here?”

He fidgeted a bit, blushing as he looked away. “Yeah, I guess… but that’s exactly why they’ll kill me! I ran off and they’re probably really confused and worried…” He bit his lip. “But if I go back now I think Essence will lock me in a bubble for time out…”

She let out an appreciative whistle. “Sounds harsh man, so let’s skedaddle, have fun, and deal with the consequences later! If you’re in trouble anyway, might as well make it worthwhile!” She began to run for the volcano again, calling after him. “Come on, let’s do this!”

He darted forward to follow her, grinning as he caught up. “You’re going to get me in so much trouble you know.”

“That’s the idea!” 

It didn’t take long for them to enter the city itself, and his eyes widened when he finally saw the expanse of it. It was protected from sight within a large crater behind the volcano, but the entire place was huge! As he was led through the streets, many rock trolls smiled and waved at him. Sure, after visiting the Classical trolls, the manners of the rock trolls seemed to be a little lacking, but there was a sort of organized chaos to how they moved about and talked. 

He had to admit, he enjoyed the energy of the city.

As they turned a corner, he was rather shocked to see something that certainly didn’t belong with in the slate colored city. Hanging out at a café about a half a block away was a set of 8 trolls, all just as, if not more brightly colored, than he was normally. “Who are they, Barb?” He pointed to the odd group.

“Huh?” She had been greeting another passing rock troll when he caught her attention, drawing it to the motley bunch. “Oh, those are the Reggaeton trolls and the K-Pop trolls. They’ve been getting along a lot better lately, even hanging out around here. Didja wanna go say hi?” 

He fidgeted a bit, shaking his head. “No, maybe we shouldn’t—eep!” He let out a yelp as Barb suddenly started to drag him through the air towards the group, waving and yelling out to them. “Yo! How’s it, you lot?”

The group paused their conversation, the lot waving back happily once they got to the table and Barb let him go, Trollex quickly ducked behind her, standing on his fins and hunching a bit in an attempt to hide. It was a bit of a failure given he was a bit bigger than Barb. 

Barb didn’t seem to mind though. “Guys, this is Trollex, king of the Techno trolls.”

The group waved, the blue troll with the yellow dread spoke first. “Hola, I’m Tresillo, and these are my friends. “He pointed to the orange troll to his right. “This is Marimba.” He then gestured to the green one on his left. “And this is Tambora. Gusto en conocerlo!”

The shiny trolls introduced themselves second, the pink haired one speaking for the group. “And we’re the K-pop trolls! I’m Baby bun, and this is Wani, Ari, Kim-Petit, and Gomdori.” She gestured to the girls in order from the blue haired troll, to the green, then the purple, and lastly the blonde. She smiled at the nervous young king. “ulineun mulji anhseubnida.”

Trollex looked between the two group leaders, tilting his head slightly. “Um… I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch those last parts…”

The group laughed with each other, and Tresillo spoke. “Sorry, sorry. We speak with a different language usually. It slips out sometimes. But hey, why do you look so nervous?”

He slipped out from behind Barb a little, twiddling his thumbs. “Sorry, I don’t mean anything by it, I’m just a little shy, I guess.” He perked up when he saw the Kim-Petit lean over and whisper something into Baby Bun’s ear. The leader giggled, swatting playfully at her friend before she spoke. “And Kim thinks you’re cute, by the way.” The troll in question let out a squeak, hiding her face and muttering something in their native tongue.

Trollex blushed deeply, covering his face as well as he turned away. Barb bit her lip, trying her best not to laugh at this. Tresillo chuckled, nodding. “I’d have to agree anyway. You are pretty cute.” 

That got Trollex to practically melt into a puddle, unaware of the high five shared between the Reggaeton troll and the K-Pop troll currently torturing the poor young king. Barb snickered, patting Trollex on the back. “So popular with the lady trolls! How do you do it man?” 

He let out a confused cry. “I’m not doing anything on purpose!” He whined as the group laughed again, Tresillo standing and offering a hand to Trollex.

“Hey hey, it’s alright. ¡No se preocupe! Don’t worry ‘bout it.” The Reggaeton trolls easy smile calmed Trollex’s nerves a little, lifting off of his fins slightly. 

That’s when Barb perked up. “Oh yeah! Guys, I’m gonna be throwing a total banger later! You coming?”

Tresillo tilted his head slightly. “Of course, but what’s the occasion?”

She pulled king Trollex down and into her side, the young king’s fins wiggling in an attempt to free himself, though it was half hearted at best. “It’s for this guy, right here! He needs a lil rock in his life to get his colors back!”

With nods of affirmation and cheers from the group, Barb laughed brightly. “This’ll be the party of the century!”

After they said goodbye to the group, Trollex followed Barb as she led him to her favourite store. He couldn’t help the fact that he was still blushing lightly, thinking back to the group. “I hadn’t realized there could be so many different Trolls… And… kinda cute ones to…”

Barb paused in her steps, grinning at Trollex. “Who caught your eye, lover boy?”

His bright deepened as he looked away. “Not saying.” He crossed his arms, trying his best not to think of it. And failing. 

Barb paused though when she heard a commotion ahead. “Hold up, stay here and I’ll go check that out!” She broke into a run, making her way up the street until she hit an intersection. She stopped dead in her tracks as she looked down the next street. “Oh… Sugar honey iced tea!” 

He tilted his head a little at her reaction, but stayed where he was. When she smiled nervously, he knew something was up. “O-Oh, hey Essence! Quincy! No time long see! I mean uh, long time no see! What brings you to this part of town, hmm?” About as smooth as sandpaper, she was. 

But her lack of eloquence gave him a chance to fly up and lay on his stomach on a nearby roof, peeking over the edge to watch the exchange. 

“Wha—Queen Barb we JUST saw you at the beach. Now, where is Trollex? I have to give my nephew a piece of my mind!” Essence was clearly agitated.

Quincy smiled nervously at his queen. “Now please dear, you’ll scare him away if you make that face.”

She spun on him, leveling him with a glare that made him feel like a hatchling. “Is there something wrong with my face, Quincy?” Her tone was level, more accusatory than questioning.

He squeaked softly, shaking his head. “N-Not at all! Perfect as ever…”

Barb had managed to scoot a few steps back during the exchange, but froze in place when Essence returned her attention to the Queen of rock. “Now, will you tell me where Trollex is, or not?”

She stammered a bit, glancing back down the street she had come from and seeing that Trollex had gone. He must have hidden. “I-I dunno! Why would I know? Certainly nowhere here…!”

Essence growled a bit, her ears standing up. “Fine, I’ll find him myself.” She winced a bit, closing her eyes to concentrate. Trollex leaned a little bit closer, watching her. 

Barb was about to speak, but was cut off by Quincy, who shook his head. Once Essence lowered her ears again, she looked up towards the roof.

And her eyes met Trollex’s. He let out a small squeak, ducking back onto the roof. “No way had she seen me…! How would she have known to look up here…?” He bit his lip a little bit. Maybe he should move?

He nearly leapt out of his scales when he heard her call him in such a calm, sweet voice. “Oh my dear Trollex, won’t you come down and give your aunty a hug?”

He closed his eyes. “I am so dead…”

He peaked over the edge of the roof again, smiling nervously. “H-Hi aunty! Uncle! W-What are you doing around here…?” Their conversation seemed to have attracted some attention, the rock trolls pausing to chatter amongst themselves.

Essence took a step forward. “Don’t you know it’s not polite to yell like this? Come on down and we’ll have a…chat.”

He was in so, SO many levels of trouble. He sighed, may as well face the music now… He gave his tail a flick and made his way through the air, stopping a short distance from the King and two Queens. “Um, so, is there… something you need, aunty?”

She rushed forward, pulling him into a tight, yet still gentle embrace. “You reckless child…! It was just a lucky think Poppy told us you were on your way here… if we hadn’t… if we hadn’t come, then…” She pulled him back, holding him at arm’s length as she glared at him. “You’re grounded!”

Barb’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth. She let out a yelp and stood at attention when Essence shot her a look. “Queen Barb, do you have a room we can borrow, dear?”

Barb nodded. “There’s a uh… a place to stay nearby, um… follow me!” And so she ran off, not checking if she was being followed, though she knew she was. If she didn’t do what the queen said, she could get grounded to!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hullo all. So this chapter may not quite be up to snuff, cause I had some.... problems the other day. I did something stupid and I regret doing it, but no one was in any danager but me, so don't stress on that. Um... I may slow down a little, simply because I need more time to organize my thoughts than normal. 
> 
> But for when this story is finished, I gotta ask, is anyone interested in a crossover between SU and TWT? I have a few brain babies but I need to know if I should feed em or not.
> 
> P.S. translations are taken from google, since I really... only know how to speak english... Yeah, I know, pretty lame right? Can't even speak french, and that's supposed to be canada's second language... argh! Anywho, yeah, here are the translations in order as they appear.
> 
> Tresillo-  
> -Hey there  
> -Nice to meet you
> 
> Baby Bun-  
> -We don’t bite
> 
> Tresillo-  
> -Don’t worry about it!


	20. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barb, feeling guilty for getting Trollex grounded, decides it's time to spring him!

King Trollex of the techno trolls knew he deserved this. After all he’d done till now he really wasn’t surprised where he had ended up. If anything he was shocked it had taken this long. He sighed heavily. Even if he knew it was coming, didn’t make it any better.

He was grounded, and there was no getting out of it. 

He let out a groan, scratching at the wrappings around his shoulder. The other leaders had insisted that his injury needed to be taken care of, despite his insistence that he was perfectly fine. Sure, it still hurt, but that was only because the universe seemed bent on torturing him.

Almost like the author of his life was a bit of a sadist.

He rolled over in his temporary bed and looked out the window, which offered a rather lovely view of the city. He could probably just slip right out the window… He let his head fall on the pillow with a groan. He was already in enough trouble as it was; if he did that he really wouldn’t hear the end of it!

That was when he heard something from outside his window. He rolled himself out of the bed and made his way over, poking his head outside to get a better look. That’s when he came face to face with Barb. He almost let out a yelp of surprise before she clapped a hand over his mouth, indicating that he needed to be quiet. He gave a small nod and she let him go. 

“What are you doing here? We’ll both be in trouble if they see you…!” He whisper yelled at her, though he was still glad to see her.

“How would they know? My city, I can go where I want.” Despite that, she looked around to confirm no one was watching, before she pushed him back into the room and hopped in behind him. “I’m breakin’ you out, fish boy.”

He blinked, rather shocked at the matter of fact statement. “Wait, really? But there’s no way we can… We shouldn’t anyway, right?” Despite his half-hearted excuse, his heart was already racing a bit at the thought of directly disobeying those that put him in here, even if he knew it was for his own good. 

Barb seemed to notice the excitement he was trying to hide. “I know you wanna, man. Come on! Let’s go, I got Riff down below ready to make a distraction! It’s time to choose…” She held her hands out, shaking her head and looking a bit pouty. “Stay here for your grounding, or…” She grinned, pointing out the window at the bright blue sky and bustling city below. “Or come have fun and party with me and the rock trolls!”

He bit his lip a bit, looking out the window once more before grinning at Barb. “You only live once, right?”

She cackled at that, just barely keeping her voice down. “Right!” She ran to the window, and waved her hands about, catching Riff’s attention. He gave her a thumbs up before running off. “OK, just gotta wait for the distraction now! But before that… you gotta blend in!” She stuck nearly her entire body out the window, her legs in the air kicking to keep her balance. A moment later she pulled herself back inside, a bag hung in her hand. “Disguises~”

She ran to the bed, and unceremoniously dumped the contents of the bag onto it. Immediately a deep dusty brown jacket caught his eye, and he picked it up, admiring the feel of the leather under his thumb. “Pretty nice, eh? Figured you’d go for the jacket! It works great to, since the material is so thick, no one’ll see your arms glowing!” She hummed a bit, then turned back to the pile. After a few moments she held up a dark grey knit beanie and a pair of fingerless gloves like he’d seen her father wearing. “Try these on, too!”

She hopped in place, clearly giddy. She reminded him of Poppy a little. He chuckled and slipped on the jacket, zipping it up and testing the fit. It was a little tight around his chest, but he could live with it. Once he felt comfortable, he slipped on the gloves and took up the beanie, flipping himself upside down in the air to use gravity to help get his hair all tucked under it. He flipped back again to look in a nearby mirror. 

He tilted his head a little. He looked quite a bit like a rock troll now! If he just landed and kept his ear fins a bit flatter… He tried, and he grinned. That’s when he realized. “Shoot! My teeth still glow… wait!” He ran back to the pile, and grabbed a bandana. He tied it around his face like a mask, then pulled it down, letting it hang loosely around his neck. “There! Now I can cover my face when I need to!”

Barb applauded him, laughing. “There ya go man, lookin’ like a real rocker! Course, you’ll have to keep low, or walk if you really don’t wanna stick out.”

He glanced down at his fins. “I should probably stop zipping around so much. I’ll be a bit clumsy for a while though. We tend not to walk far on them.”

She hummed a bit, tapping at her chin. Just then, Barb’s pet bat flitted into the room, landing on her owners head. Trollex watched with some fascination as the bat scratched at its fur before pulling out… was that a glow worm?

Just then, as though struck by inspiration, perked up and snapped her finger, startling Debbie away. “That’s it! We can borrow dad’s old chair! There are plenty of trolls that need to use those chairs here!”

He perked up a little. “Wait, really…? Why do so many need them?”

Barb shrugged a bit, stepping over to the window and peering outside at the city bellow. “Because we live in a volcano, basically. A lot of us get hurt pretty bad from eruptions or stray rocks, or burn out feet on the flows…” He turned back to him, smiling a little. “But we’re tough as rocks, y’know? We can withstand a lot.”

Trollex looked over the queen, then glanced at himself in the mirror. He had wanted to hate Rock for what they did to his trolls, but they had been suffering in silence since their ancestors first settled here. He looked down, rubbing at his arms. 

But don’t you still deserve to hate them?

He froze, hearing a voice not unlike his own in his head. Was that his own thought? Was that how he really felt…? He turned away from his darkened reflection, looking towards Barb, who was staring out the window again. 

He remembered seeing himself, as though distantly, pushing her deeper and deeper into the waiting darkness of his home. She wouldn’t have made it out were it not for the other leaders arriving… 

He really had been about to take her life. 

He clutched at his chest, wincing slightly as he felt it beat a little harder, a little faster. He could feel darkness creeping in on him. It was cold, it was—

BOOM!

He jolted, snapping back to reality as a firework went off just a short distance from where they were.

BOOM BANG BOOM!

He heard more going off, and jumped a little as Barb dashed over to him, grabbing his good arm and smirking. “That’s our cue!” She dragged him to the window, and she leapt out of it, grabbing onto the small cliff edge bellow the window before a drop down the mountain. He slipped out behind her, looking up as another firework went off in the sky, a bright shower of red sparks lighting up the sky.

He laughed, looking over at Barb. “Has the party already started?” 

She shook her head, leaping down to the next ledge. “Not till a little later today. For now our pre party has just begun!”

She made to leap to the next ledge, but was shocked when she was plucked out of the air By Trollex, who had taken one of her hands and pulled her into the sky, flying her down to Volcano rock city safely. She let out a whoop, punching into the air in her excitement. 

He did his best not to laugh too loudly, and set her down where she pointed him to. Once they landed, they found themselves in front of a humble looking home, and Barb walked up to the door, testing the handle. Sure enough, it opened. “This is dad’s place, but he’s out right now with the other leaders talking about something boring. I’d have gone, but I think it has to do with me. Anyway, we can get one of dad’s old chairs out of his storage and just drape a blanket over your legs to hide the glow!”

He nodded, his heart racing. “Oh man, I’ve never gone against rules before…! Since my parents passed, I’ve just been following their old rules… But this is fun!”

Barb glanced back at him. “You never rebelled…? Really? You never once thought the rules were unfair, and you wanted to change things?”

He looked over at a guitar that her dad had hung on the wall on a display. “I never said that, but it… it never really crossed my mind. Last time they told me not to do something, well… that was the last time they told me anything.”

She gave him a sympathetic look, pausing in the hall. “Trollex, I’m sorry… about what happened to your folks… Maybe back then, if we’d reached out to help you, rather than just keeping to ourselves…”

Trollex shook his head. “No, it’s alright. You guys have your own dangers to worry about. Maybe there was something better everyone could have done in their lives, but…” He smiled at her. “For now let’s focus on keeping us out of any more trouble, deal?”

She smiled at him and nodded. “Right, let’s go then! This way!” She ran over to a door, pulled it open, and headed through. Once he turned to follow, he found himself staring into a dark basement. He hesitated. “Er, I’ll just wait up here till you can get the lights…”

He paused, waiting for some sort of response. None came.

“Um, Barb…? Hello…?” He fidgeted, biting at his lip. “Oh no… Barb? Barb please answer…?”

He let out a small whimper. “OK Trollex, you’re not a little guppy anymore, you can do this… just go down there, glow a little, and find a light switch, easy…!” He rolled up his sleeve enough to expose the glowing yellow stripe on his arm. He held it out a little in front of him, and floated quietly down the stairs.

He could hear his heart thrashing in his chest, and he wanted nothing more but to leave and return to the light. He glanced at his wrist again, trying to focus on glowing a little brighter. He looked around, but it still seemed like pitch darkness. 

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and trying his best to steady his heart and mind. There was nothing down here, nothing could hurt him… Darkness wasn’t a living thing, it couldn’t hurt him… He opened his eyes, and saw a face in front of him, cast in an eerie yellow glow from his wrist.

And he shrieked loud enough to knock his own hearing out for a second. He stumbled back, trying to make his way back to the door, only to run head first into a wall, stunning him for a second.

He fell into a heap against the wall, dazed with a ringing in his ears. A moment later, the light flickered to life in the basement, and he looked around, holding his head. “W-Wha…”

Barb ran to him, kneeling over him to check him out. “Trollex, you ok? What happened?”

He looked behind himself, and saw the face he had seen in the dark. It was a mask, hung on the wall. He let out a groan, letting his head fall to the floor. “Just… gimme a sec… heart racing…”

Barb sighed, holding a hand over her own chest. “I hear ya man… But why didn’t you wait for me to turn on the lights…”

He looked up at her curiously, the ringing in his ears finally stopping. “I called down to ask if you were ok, but you didn’t say anything… I thought something happened so I came down.”

She tilted her head a little. “What…? But I never heard you say anything. I came down stairs and was having a problem finding the light switch till you screamed.”

He looked around the room, which was… shockingly small. It was just about the size of a standard bedroom. He looked up at her again. “How did either of us get lost down here? It’s tiny!”

She looked around the room, looking nervous. “I…I don’t know. Let’s just get the chair and leave, alright? Something feels really weird… I might have to get dad to stay with me for a while.” She ran over to a pile of stuff, sorting through it a moment before finding an old, folding wheelchair. “Alright, here it is. Let’s get outta here now…!” She ran up the stairs, following after her. 

As they made it to the top, both froze in their tracks as the bulb in the basement suddenly blew, plunging it back into darkness. Trollex was nearly positive he heard a hiss from the darkness. “OK, that’s it; let’s get out of here, please?” He made his way to the front door, with Barb following quietly behind. Once they were outside, they both slumped a bit, Trollex landing on the ground to stand on his fins. 

“The heck was all that about…?” Barb looked back towards the house, and gave a shudder. “Like we were being hunted or something… Oof I got the shivers!”

Trollex nodded a little, finally pulling the sleeve down to cover his yellow glowing stripe. “Yeah… Let’s just focus on something else for now. I’m… sure it was just our imagination.” He hoped. 

It didn’t take long to unfold and set up the chair, allowing Trollex to sit in it and get himself comfortable. She let him move himself around a bit, laughing as he nearly rammed himself into a wall as he tried to figure out the sensitive controls. “Why in the deep ocean does this thing go so fast!?”

She snickered at that, then stepped up behind the chair. “Till you get more used to it, I can just push you around. Well, let’s go!” 

And so they started their adventure, Trollex smiling brightly before pulling the bandana over his face to hide the glow. This would be a great day!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, we got Trollex's rocker outfit now! I was going to be lazy and use his rock zombie outfit, since it's pretty cool, but they are going with stealth atm, and I'm sorry... a vest and fishnets aint covering glow guppy at ALL. The chair is legit just so I can have him moving relatively freely while still covering the glow of his fins under a blanket.


	21. Rock Candy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barb can finally take Trollex to her favorite shop in town, and they enjoy a chat over some sweets.

Barb greeted all her friends and introduced Trollex to them, telling them that he was a new friend she met through the care unit she visited with her dad. They all took to him like a fish to water, if you’ll pardon the pun. He felt like he was a rocker right now, not a rock zombie, and not the usual shy Trollex. He could be confident like this; it was a nice change of pace.

As they passed through a busy street, a colorful shop caught his eyes. “Whoa, what does this place sell…?”

She paused, glancing over at the store before grinning widely. “Oh man, I didn’t realize we made it to this part yet! Come on, this is the place with the rock candy!” She pushed the wheelchair up the small ramp and into the store, and immediately Trollex was looking around in awe.

There were so many different types of sweets! All of them were colorful, but the ones that caught his eye looked like crystals formed on a wooden stick. “What’re these ones…? They look so pretty!”

She leaned over his shoulder, and snickered a bit. “That’s their famous rock candy! Here, I’ll get you some!” She grabbed two from the display and ran over to the counter, where a rather round looking rock troll was taking out a batch of doughnuts. Barb sighed when she got a whiff of the fresh baked pastries. Even Trollex couldn’t help melting a little in his wheelchair. 

The portly troll behind the counter seemed to notice their reactions and chuckled a little. “Can I help you two young trolls?” He spotted the candy in Barb’s hand and grinned. “That’s my best batch yet, are you getting some?”

She nodded, setting the two pieces of candy on the counter. “Yes please! How much do I owe you?” 

He looked between Barb and Trollex a moment, then leaned in to whisper to Barb while Trollex was trying to figure out how the cotton candy he spotted worked. “Maybe an explanation? I can tell that isn’t a rock troll, but I can’t figure it out…! I’m so curious…”

She tapped her chin a moment, then turned to Trollex. “Hey Trollex, wanna show off to candy man here?”

Trollex perked up at that, tilting his head. He spoke through the bandana. “What’cha mean, Barb? Show off what?” When she made a motion to pull down his bandana, he figured it out pretty quick. “As long as he doesn’t talk about it, I’d have to get found by Essence…”

She looked back to the chef, who held a hand over his heart. “Promise.” 

He smiled a little, using his arms to get a bit of a push off the chair, floating up in the air as he pulled down his Bandana, grinning down at the stunned expression on the chef’s face. “A Techno troll! After what happened I was afraid I’d never see one of you in my shop again! Have you been up here before? I don’t recognize you.”

He looked between Barb and the shop owner, tilting his head. “Er, no. I never really get out much until recently.” When the other grinned widely and began running to the back of the shop, Trollex looked down at Barb and gave her a quizzical expression.

The young queen just shrugged. “He’s almost as old as my dad, and his family has run this shop for forever. He was working already back when Techno trolls would come up occasionally for candy.”

The chef appeared once again, carrying two goodie bags with him, each rather large. “Yes! Your tribe used to love coming to my family shop. Since you guys live under water, you can’t make candy down there.”

Trollex nodded. “Can’t really cook down there either, all the tribes I’ve visited so far have really good cooks! Like Quincy and Trollzart, did you know they cook?”

Barb hummed. “Really? Wouldn’t have pegged them for that…”

That seemed to give the chef pause. “Er, Barb, are you talking about the other tribe leaders? Has he met them?”

She looked up at Trollex, then laughed. “I guess you really can’t tell when he wears a long sleeve, huh? This is king Trollex, another of the leaders. He’s been having some trouble lately, so he’s been visiting all the kingdoms.”

The chef nearly dropped the goodie bags. “My goodness… Things have been so eventful lately!” He chuckled. “Any more surprises and I don’t think my poor old heart will survive…!” He let out a yelp as Trollex suddenly zipped forward in the air, worrying over the chef.

“Oh no, I’m sorry, are you alright? I didn’t mean to cause any problems… oof!” He stumbled back a bit in the air as the chef pushed one of the bags into his arms. He looked at it, and then at the grinning chef with a curious expression. 

“I call that the trial bag. Basically it has a lot of little things in it that most Techno trolls have never had, give it a shot! Maybe you’ll come back again another time and get your favourites!” He tossed the other bag to Barb, who caught it with glittering eyes. “The bags are both a little different, so you can trade and share if you like!”

The two young royals looked at each other, then cheered loudly. Barb punched her fist into the air, jumping around excitedly, while Trollex pulled a few tight loops in the air, laughing as he held the bag close. The chef chuckled softly. The two were already hyper; maybe he’d made a mistake…? 

The two leave the shop soon afterwards, Trollex back in his chair and holding both bags so Barb could push him down the street. He smiled under the bandana, then glanced back at Barb. “So, where should we stop to try these? I don’t know how long I can wait!”

She snickered, pushing him a little faster. “I know this really nice place nearby that almost no one goes to, we can stop there!” As they continued on their way, he gave himself a moment to think back on his journey so far. Pop, Funk, Country, Classical, and Rock. He’d been to all the other major tribes, and even met a few from smaller sub tribes. He’d spent his whole life in the ocean, and now he was starting to branch out. 

He had to admit he had been surprised to learn that some Techno trolls had been visiting the Rock trolls before the world tour. He’d have to ask around when he got back about it. He had been happy to see some of his trolls enjoying themselves with the Funk and Country trolls to. He glanced back towards Barb, who was smiling. “Hey Barb, I’ve got a question, if you don’t mind.”

She gave him a curious look. “Shoot, fish boy. What’s on your mind?”

He hummed softly, looking up at the blue sky overhead. “Have you left Volcano rock city at all? Since we all met up at Pop village after the tour, I mean…?”

She paused, coming to a stop in the walkway as other trolls bustled past them. She looked away from him, staring at nothing in particular. “No, I haven’t. Why?”

He noted the tired tone in her voice. “No? Hmm… Alright, what HAVE you been doing since then…?”

She muttered something under her breath, and sighed when Trollex gave her a look that told her to repeat herself. “I… I’ve been staying here, co-ordinating repairs and aid as best I can… I’ve been sending out Rock trolls to help with repairs to the other places, bringing food and building materials… But I don’t leave. I didn’t want to tell you because I can’t figure out how to help Techno…” She sighed, resting her head on the backrest of the chair. “I’m sorry; I’ve been trying, but… We can’t do anything down there, we have to stay in the angler busses or we can’t even breathe…”

He looked down at the bags in his lap. He hadn’t even realized that Barb had been trying so hard to help the others. He felt slightly bitter that there was nothing she could do to help the Techno trolls, but he understood her position. If it weren’t for flow, they wouldn’t even be able to come to the surface. 

His eyes widened slightly. “Heart bubbles…!” he looked back at Barb, his eyes practically sparkling. “Heart bubbles!” When he didn’t get the excited response he had expected, he elaborated. “We Techno trolls have an ability we call heart bubbles, it lets land dwellers breathe underwater for a short time! Of course, we’d need to keep a Techno troll guide on hand, but we could have Techno trolls accompany Rock trolls down there, and help out!”

She gasped sharply, covering her mouth. “No way… you guys can do that…?” She cheered, leaping around him and stopping in front of him, setting her hands on the arm rests and grinning. “Trollex that’s genius! Heck, that means I could totally send some trolls down there now…!” She paused a moment. “Wait, no, you have to talk to the other Techno trolls and figure that out first…” She poked him lightly in the chest. “We gotta get your color back and get you home!”

He nodded, happy that the two could figure something out. “Yeah!” He wanted so badly to leap out of the chair and zip around, but he needed to stay hidden for now. At least in open spaces. “So when is the concert anyway?” 

She walked back behind him, and started to push his quickly through the crowds. “It’s not much longer, but I wanna eat our candy first! I never had anyone to share that with; most of the trolls I hang out with are older, so they don’t like just goofing off so much.” She turned them down a street, which was much quieter, and up ahead he could see some trees. “Up ahead there’s a small park, we can relax there!”

Once they had made it to the park and found a quiet area, Trollex floated up out of the chair and stretched his fins a bit. “Man, I hate sitting for that long…!” He smiled down at Barb, who was grinning up at him. “So, candy time?”

“CANDY TIME!” She sat down with one of the bags, tossing the other up to Trollex. He landed in front of her, tucking his fins under himself as he tore into his own bag. Within he could see a stick of rock candy, a chocolate doughnut in a paper bag, a small tub of cotton candy, a few chocolates and a couple gummy worms. “Whoa… it’s all so colorful…!” He took out the rock candy, having been curious about it since Barb first brought it up. 

He looked over at her to find her already munching on a vanilla dip doughnut, which she seemed more than happy about. He gave the candy a small sniff, and realized it… didn’t really smell like anything. When he took a bite though…! His ear fins stood up, his eyes nearly sparkling. “It’s so sweet!”

Barb snickered, nodding. “Yup! That’s basically just sugar! Oh, we’re going to be SO hyper man!”

As Trollex enjoyed the treats in his bag, he learned rather quickly that his favourite was the candy floss. He marveled at how it turned from puffy clouds to liquid in his mouth, which caused Barb to nearly split her sides laughing at him. As much as they wanted to finish ALL of it, they had to concede that there was a lot to eat, so they put the rest away in a pouch on the back of the chair. 

Once they had tossed out the trash and stored the rest, the two lay side by side on the grass, watching as small puffy clouds drifted by. He let his eyes slip shut and he enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his scales.

“This is nice, y’know? Just hanging out with someone my age, doing stuff we never got to do as hatchlings…” He was a little shocked by Barb suddenly speaking, but let her continue. “Dad was always supportive, but… I felt like I had to prove myself and show I was just as great as him…”

He nodded a little. “Yeah, I’m always trying to be as good as my parents were, but… Well, we’ve seen how that ends.”

Barb smirked. “Yeah, it ends great. Don’t beat yourself up so much on a few mistakes. We’ve all made plenty. I really doubt that any of the leaders never made mistakes…”

“You mean like how Poppy nearly got all the Pop trolls eaten?”

There were a few beats of silence before Barb spoke. “Wait, what? Poppy did what with the who now?”

He shrugged. “I don’t really know details, the version she told me was… very short. And somehow she was very peppy telling me about it? I want to ask more, but I don’t know if it’s a sensitive topic. I think Branch would be best to ask…”

She sat up, looking down at Trollex. “About Branch, is he a Pop troll? He looks a lot more like a Rock troll of some sort.”

He was about to say he was sure that Branch was Pop, but… was he? “I…have no idea? Maybe he was a Rock troll raised there? I’ve never seen him looking anything but a faded blue, so I can’t say…”

Barb hummed a bit, but jumped slightly when she heard fireworks starting to go off a distance away. “Oh, shoot! The concert! Trollex we gotta get to the stage, they’re starting!”

He sat bolt upright, looking in the direction of the fireworks. They seemed quite a distance away. “Why are they starting now? You’re not even there! Neither of us are!”

Barb blushed a little, poking her fingers together. “I had planned on bringing you back towards the stage, and I figured we’d make a dramatic entrance, but… Heh, I got distracted. We have to figure out a way to get there, and fast!”

He bit his lip a bit, looking towards the chair, and then to Barb. “OK, so I can carry you there fast, but… what about your dad’s old chair? I can’t carry that the whole way to…!” 

They both looked at the chair, trying their best to come up with something. “It’s no use dude, I think we have to come back for it later…”

He wasn’t so sure they’d get the chance, but it was their only hope. “I’ll tuck it away somewhere, you get what we need ready and we’ll go.”

It didn’t take long to prepare, but Barb insisted that now that they were ditching stealth, Trollex should change. He did, and found that once he was in his new outfit, he looked like he had as a rocker the first time. He had the vest, fishnets, and even a spiked hair band. “You know, now that I can think clearly, this outfit is actually kinda cool…”

Barb grinned, clapping a bit. “Thought you’d like it. It looks great on you~.” She winked. “Quite the heartthrob I think. You’ll be the talk of all the young troll ladies~.” She nearly fell over laughing at the bright pink blush that nearly took over his face. 

“S-Shut it!” He zipped forward, grabbing onto her hands and tugging her into the air, causing her to let out a short yelp. He flew upwards, breaking past the top of the trees and soaring over towards the fireworks. “Can’t tease me in the sky, can you!”

He was expecting some kind of witty response, but received only silence. He tilted his head slightly and looked down. The sight almost melted his heart. Barb was staring down at Volcano rock city, a look of awe painted on her features. “It’s… it’s so beautiful from up here… Trollex do you see this all the time…?”

He looked down, and realized he was indeed used to these kinds of sights. “I guess, yeah… When I first came to the surface, I was all down in the dumps, so I didn’t really take the time to look, but… it is kind of pretty up here, huh?”

Barb smiled up at him. “Well, you seem to be doing pretty good… I’m glad! You’re fun to hang out with. So… I hope we can be friends…?”

He smiled softly, and gave a nod. “Yeah, I’d like that…” He looked ahead, seeing the stage surrounded by all sorts of trolls from all the tribes, mixed and mingling happily. “Friends…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trollex is going to be so sad when he learns why they never started making candy down in Techno reef... especially cotton candy. Poor boy's going to cry when it melts in the water lol.


	22. Rebel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barb and Trollex hit the stage in a big way, and rock the crowd to its core!

In Volcano rock city, the trolls took to every new event with great passion and fervor. They were always energetic, especially when their queen decided to throw an impromptu concert. The energy was amplified by the fact that all through the city trolls had been seeing glimpses of all the other tribe leaders.

Speculation had run absolutely wild, especially when it was discovered that not only had a Techno troll been spotted, but that it was possibly the king of Techno to boot! 

Suddenly, a troll near the back of the crowd yelled out. “Wait, look! It’s Barb and the Techno troll!”

Another piped up quickly afterwards. “Not just any Techno troll, look at those arms! That’s the king!”

“Wasn’t his name Trollex or something?”

That started a wave of cheers for the approaching king and queen. “Queen Barb! King Trollex!”

Trollex paused in his flight, looking down at the crowd. “Are they… cheering for us?”

Barb grinned, and smiled up at him. “Yeah! We’re the stars of the show, so let’s not keep them waiting.”

He looked over the cheering crowd, and got a rather wicked idea. “Barb, wanna have a little fun?”

“Always!”

He nodded, and then aimed himself upwards, flicking his fins to gain speed before pulling back and flipping in the air, tossing Barb up as he did. She let go of his hands, already knowing what they were doing. She pumped her fist in the air at the apex of the toss, pulling a little flip in the air as she began to fall back to the crowd.

Everyone watched with baited breath as she fell farther and farther, Trollex letting himself fall at the same pace, staying close. They grinned at each other, enjoying the adrenalin of the free fall. Once Trollex could make out the expressions on the trolls below them, he decided that they had fallen far enough. He held out a hand to Barb, who grabbed it eagerly. 

He pulled them out of free fall in a slow curve, Barb and him sailing right over the heads of the cheering crowd. Barb managed to get a few high fives from hatchlings that were sitting up on their parents’ heads or shoulders, nearly cackling from the energy rush. 

Once they made it to the front stage, Trollex slowed himself, setting Barb gently down before moving to hover next to her. She held her hands out to her sides, palms down, which seemed to send a hush over the crowd. After a few beats of silence, she yelled out so everyone could hear her.

“Hello, my Rock trolls; today we have a whole bunch of guests! Here with me now, helping me pull off maybe the COOLEST intro in all history is King Trollex of the Techno trolls!”

“And the most dangerous!” Trollex’s eyes widened the moment he recognized the voice of Essence, and he nearly zipped right off the stage. “What were you two THINKING?!”

Barb turned around, spotting the other leaders stepping out from back stage, Riff walking behind them as he poked his fingers together shyly. “Sorry, Barb, they figured it out and waited here for you guys…”

Quincy was standing at full height, trying to put on an air of authority. “Trollex, we we’re worried sick when we went to check on you and found you missing…! Why would you leave without telling anyone?”

Delta crossed her arms over her chest, giving Trollex a look that made him feel like a tiny hatchling again. “I-I uh, um…”

Even Trollzart looked disappointed, shaking his head slowly as he hovered near Essence. 

Trollex bit his lip, looking down as he rubbed at his arm. Seems he’d really disappointed them all… But he had so much fun, and he was perfectly safe, so was Barb! So, he didn’t do anything wrong… right?

Barb, who had gotten Riff to get her guitar, strummed a loud note, which silenced the entire gathering. She gave the other tribe leaders a look, which spoke to her nature as an instigator and a rebel. She wasn’t going to let her new friend get chewed out! And she knew just what to sing to down two birds with one stone.

Oh, we're not gonna take it  
No, we ain't gonna take it  
Oh, we're not gonna take it anymore

Trollex was a little shocked by Barb suddenly starting to sing, Riff already having taken his place on the drums to follow Barb’s lead. He could already feel the energy of the song, and it had only just begun!

We've got the right to choose it  
There ain't no way we'll lose it  
This is our life, this is our song  
We'll fight the powers that be, just  
Don't pick our destiny 'cause  
You don't know us, you don't belong

Essence took a step back as Barb approached, the lyrics charged with her meaning. Rock, her music, had always meant freedom for her, and she’d sooner face off against all the other leaders before she let someone take her freedom, or that of her friends.

Oh, we're not gonna take it  
No, we ain't gonna take it  
Oh, we're not gonna take it anymore

Trollex couldn’t help getting into the song, the lyrics and tune flowing naturally for him. He joined Barb, singing the lyrics as he held himself tall and proud. Why should he feel bad for being who he was?

Oh, you're so condescending  
Your gall is never ending  
We don't want nothin', not a thing from you  
Your life is trite and jaded  
Boring and confiscated  
If that's your best, your best won't do

He could feel his whole body buzzing with the energy now, his heart racing as he danced along with Barb. He felt heat pulsing through his chest, warm and strong. 

Whoa, oh oh  
Whoa, oh oh  
We're right (yeah)  
We're free (yeah)  
We'll fight (yeah)  
You'll see (yeah)

The crowd joined in, yelling along the echoes as Trollex and Barb spun together on stage. Barb could see Trollex’s heart glowing and pulsing a deep, rich red, the bands on his arms lighting up a little brighter. He was a living light show!

Whoa, whoa, we're not gonna take it  
No, we ain't gonna take it  
Oh, we're not gonna take it anymore  
We're not gonna take it  
No, we ain't gonna take it  
Oh, we're not gonna take it anymore  
No way  
Whoa, oh oh  
Whoa, oh oh

Trollex was a little surprised when he heard a new voice chorus in. He looked over to see former King Thrash joining in, grinning at the two young trolls as they danced and sang. 

We're right (yeah)  
We're free (yeah)  
We'll fight (yeah)  
You'll see (yeah)  
We're not gonna take it  
No, we ain't gonna take it  
We're not gonna take it anymore  
We're not gonna take it (no)  
No, we ain't gonna take it  
we're not gonna take it anymore

The young king flew over to King Thrash, and grinned, hovering over him and holding out his hands. Thrash took them gleefully, and Trollex lifted him out of his chair, tossing him up a little so he could grab him around the midsection instead. He flew out over the crowd, which screamed with delight. Even Thrash seemed to be 20 years younger in his excitement.

Just you try and make us  
We're not gonna take it  
(Come on!)  
No, we ain't gonna take it  
(You're all worthless and weak)  
We're not gonna take it anymore  
(Now drop and give me twenty)  
We're not gonna take it  
(A pledge pin)  
No, we ain't gonna take it  
(On your uniform)  
We're not gonna take it anymore

As the song concluded, Trollex flew back to the stage, setting Thrash down lightly in his chair again. He panted, not having expected to have so much energy feedback from the song. The candy earlier probably didn’t help. 

Thrash looked absolutely ecstatic, Barb running to him and giving him a tight hug. “Dad, that was great! I can’t believe you joined in!”

He chuckled at that, throwing up the rocker hand sign with a grin. “You got me all caught up in the energy dear, what else was I supposed to do?” He turned to Trollex, gesturing to the others heart. “How’s it feel to be a rocker?”

Trollex looked down at himself, and grinned to see his heart fading from the rich red to a soft pink, the red bands on his arms lit up again. He laughed, doing a flip in the air. Once he steadied himself again, he held up a rock hand sign as a mirror to Thrash’s. “Feels great! I didn’t know a song could give anyone so much energy!”

As the three laughed together, Essence cleared her throat, catching the group’s attention. Barb looked a little frustrated at being interrupted, but didn’t vocalize anything. Trollex looked a little nervous, but he didn’t shrink in on himself.

She sighed softly, shaking her head. “I think I owe you an apology, Trollex… We’ve been treating you more like a child than an equal…” She gave him a glare. “Of course, we worry because you’re reckless, but…” She smiled sweetly. “You’re also a leader, and a strong one at that. Congratulations on getting back your red.”

Trollex stared at Essence, feeling his heart tighten a little. He darted forward, and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, causing her to yelp slightly in surprise. “Thank you, aunty…” She smiled, hugging him in return. He may be a leader, and he may be strong, but… He loved that they were all so worried for him. It meant they cared.

He was unaware of Thrash and barb sharing a fist bump behind him. It quickly turned into a group hug, with Quincy stepping forward to join in, Poppy refusing to be left out of hug time, Trollzart wanting to get in on it to, and Branch and Prince D joining when Cooper leapt onto the pile. Even Barb and Thrash found a spot to slip in.

At some point Trollex managed to wriggle free, which became rather hilarious when no one else seemed to notice that the young king was no longer within the pile. He looked over at the crowd and held a finger over his mouth, telling them not to say anything. He wanted to see how long before they noticed.

Of course, he was dealing with a group of energized rock trolls right after a great song, so none of them could help the muffled snickers that drifted through the crowd, which at last caught the attention of the group. They slowly began to disperse, and all began to look around for Trollex when they realized he had vanished. Poppy gasped sharply. “Oh no, did we hug him out of existence?”

Trollex, who had decided to hide near Riff, behind his drum set, nearly lost it at that. He covered his mouth, trying so hard not to laugh out loud. Riff snickered softly, grinning down at the young king. “She’s a few chords short of a tune, isn’t she?”

That broke his will; he let out a loud laugh, clutching at his stomach. He tried to get his snickering under control, but Riff really wasn’t helping the situation. Riff smirked. “Guess you could say they’re all a lil’ out of tune.” He ended that statement with the ba-dum TSH that follows a terrible joke.

He wiped his eyes as he laughed, having given up on stealth. There was no way they didn’t know where he had gone now. He peeked out from behind and sure enough, the leaders were giving him quizzical looks. He floated out from behind the drums, grinning widely. “I’m surprised it took you guys so long to notice!”

Essence blushed brightly. “In my defence, I got distracted by Quincy.”

Quincy perked up, huffing. “Don’t blame me dear, you were the first one who hugged him!”

As it slowly dissolved into a light argument between the two Funk royals, Trollex flew over to Barb. “Thanks, Barb… You got my red back for me, and helped me realize a few things…”

She tilted her head slightly, turning her attention away from the bickering. “No prob man. Glad to help! So what’s next for you?”

He looked up to the bright, blue sky. “Home. I gotta go see how my trolls are doing. I’ve been gone way to long… Once I get down there I’ll send a few Techno trolls to the beaches to help sort through letting others come down, but until then, you guys might not hear from me.”

She gave him a worried look. “And you’ll be ok, right? Just let me know if there’s anything we can do to help. I’ll gather the other leaders again and we’ll come running! Err, swimming…? Well, we’ll figure it out!” She gave him a light punch on the arm. “Good luck out there, king Trollex.”

He nodded, then pulled her into a hug. “Thanks again…” He pulled away, and noticed a light blush on her cheeks. He grinned and lifted up into the air. 

Barb turned to the crowd, holding her arms out wide to address them all. “Hey rock trolls! Trollex is heading back, so why don’t we give him a nice, big rock troll send off, huh?” 

As though on que, every rock troll in the stadium cried out at once. “ROCK ON!”

He laughed, throwing a fist into the air. “Rock on!” with the crowds responding cheer, he flew off over their heads and up over the outer edge of the crater that formed the amphitheatre. Once he reached open blue sky, he let out a sigh, letting the sounds of the cheering crowd die down behind him. 

He’d had a lot of fun on his adventure, getting to learn more about the other leaders and their cultures and music. He loved them all, each having its own unique properties, but he was glad to be going home. He missed his trolls, he missed Beat, and he really, REALLY missed not feeling dry.

As soon as he spotted the glittering water below, he made a dive for it. As soon as he broke through the surface, he let out a sigh, feeling the cool seep into his scales. He had more energy than he knew what to do with, he was sure he could swim the entire way back to Techno reef without even using a current!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: We're not going to take it - Twisted sisters
> 
> I grew up listening to rock music like this, so I may have been a bit biased in choosing, but I did put a lot of thought into it! A big thank you to Knifehappypsycho for letting me bounce ideas off them, and for them helping me figure out the best song! Plus, they are a sweetheart.


	23. Techno reef

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex finally returns home, and learns that his fears were unwarranted. His trolls welcome him back with open fins, and even offer to help their young king!

When he had first gotten into the water, he had enough energy to take him the whole way! Or so he thought. He was proved wrong as he began to slowly drift asleep as he swam, and at one point awoke with a start to find himself floating at the surface, having fallen asleep in the water and floated upwards. 

He yawned loudly and dove back into the water, deciding this time to make his way for the nearby current. Once he slipped into it, he sighed. “Where did all that energy go…?” He yawned again and rubbed at his eyes. “Mph… I need a nap…”

As he slowly began to drift off asleep again, he noticed in the distant darkness colorful lights flashing rhythmically. He smiled, recognizing his home. “Looks like at least some of the coral has come back properly…”

He smiled a little, watching as the light grew closer and brighter. He flicked his tail a little faster, wanting to be home again at last. As soon as he swam past the barrier reef, he slipped out of the current and floated along in the gentle ebb and flow of his ocean home. 

He would have been more than happy to float there a while longer, but he heard a voice calling to him. “Hey, who’s that? Looks familiar…”

He turned to see a familiar couple approach, a small green hatchling swimming between them. He grinned widely, holding his arms out. “The Blush family! I haven’t seen you guys in a long time!”

Little Coral blush, showing no hesitance, gasped sharply and darted forward, tackle hugging Trollex and sending the young king tumbling backwards in the water with a chuckle. “Whoa kiddo, easy does it!”

The parent’s approached, their eyes wide. The mother, who he recalled was named Anemone, titled her head slightly. “King Trollex, is… is that really you…?”

He smiled and nodded, gently patting Coral’s head, who hadn’t let him go and was showing no signs of doing so any time soon. “Yeah… Sorry I’ve been gone a while…”

The father, Atoll, smiled, though it was clear he was tired. “Everyone’s been so worried about you. When Beat showed up looking so ragged, we all panicked… He said you were fine, but even he got frustrated after a while…”

His eyes widened. He forgot to send Beat updates! He face palmed, groaning loudly. “I was supposed to send him messages, but I couldn’t figure out how…! Oh man, he’s going to kill me…!”

He felt Coral hug him a little tighter, looking up at Trollex with teary eyes. “No! You’re not allowed to get killed!”

Trollex clutched his heart. He couldn’t handle the cute! He gave Coral a little squeeze. “I’ll be fine Coral, don’t worry. Beat’s just not going to be happy with me, is all.” He looked up at Atoll and Anemone. “How’s everyone else though…? I know I’ve been gone a while, I just… I’ll explain it to everyone, I promise.”

The two looked at each other, then back to Trollex. “We’ve missed you. Beat said you lost your color, is that why you’re looking a little… Um, different?” 

He couldn’t help a soft chuckle, noting how Anemone had avoided using a worse descriptor. “Yeah, I did… but I’ve been working at getting them back. It’s a surprisingly slow process. For now, let’s gather everyone and I’ll make an announcement.”

Atoll gave a nod, calling Coral back to him. “We’ll spread the word. You’re D.J. booth is all fixed up, should we meet there?”

He bit his lip slightly, looking down. “Mm, maybe not yet. How about the courtyard? It gives me a chance to check on Beat while everyone gathers.”

With a nod and happy waves, the Blush family swam off to spread the news. He waited till they were out of sight before making his way towards LED castle. Along the way he’d run into more of his Trolls, all of which were overjoyed to see him, and insisted on asking if he was alright.

By the time he made it to the castle, he let out a sigh and slipped inside. It was comparatively quiet within, and he guessed that not many needed to come through while he was gone. He immediately began his search for Beat, checking all the usual places. 

It didn’t take long for him to end up at his own room, and he smiled when he saw Beat within, lying on his pillow and sleeping lightly. He swam over, careful not to cause any ripples in the water that may wake the sleeping fish. He managed to gently scoop him up, and beat barely stirred, doing little more than snuggling into his arms. He chuckled softly. “Beat… Beat, wake up…” 

The little fish let out a small grumble, squirming a bit. “Mph… what is it…?” He opened his eyes a crack and looked up at the troll holding him. In an instant he was wide awake, staring wide eyed up at the other. “TROLLEX?!”

He gave the little fish a hug, laughing softly. “Yeah, it’s me Beat… I missed you lil’ buddy…”

Beat Gave Trollex the best hug he could, then squirmed out of the hold. He swam a few loops around Trollex, looking him over appraisingly. “You got a lot of your color back!” He spotted the red and yellow shining on his arms. “How was Classical and Rock? Queen Barb didn’t give you any trouble?”

He shook his head. “No, Barb and I are friends, and Trollzart is my Grandpop.” He smiled, a hand resting on his heart. “I have such a big family now, Beat! It’s been so much fun on the surface.” He shrunk a bit at the look Beat gave him, which was a mix of happy, concerned, and frustrated. “Also, sorry I didn’t send any letters… I couldn’t figure out how…”

“Well, I didn’t manage to get any to you either, so I guess we’re even…I’m just glad you came back home, Trollex.” Beat smiled, true and full of energy like he used to be. Trollex had missed the little fish’s energy more than he had realized. He pulled Beat into another hug, spinning a moment in his room. 

Once the two managed to spend a little energy and catch up, they both made their way towards the courtyard. While normally he would speak from the terrace above that, he wanted to be on a much more personal level with his trolls. 

Beat seemed to notice Trollex’s destination. “You know you’re going to get hounded, right? Everyone has been freaking out and worried sick.”

He let out a thoughtful hum. “Maybe. I almost ended up having to carry Coral blush back here I think, lil’ tyke didn’t want to let me go. A few other families caught me on the way here to, and they all seemed happy I was back…” He smiled. “Maybe I’m not so bad after all…”

The little fish let out a sharp, faux gasp. “Really? I didn’t know! Oh, wait, yeah I did. I’ve only been telling you that for… what, a few years now?” Beat gave him a nudge on the shoulder. “It’s almost like you were the only one who thought like that? Can you imagine?”

He laughed grinning as he gave Beat a playful shove. “Oh hush up, you’re not allowed to be sarcastic, that’s my job.”

“Yeah, but I do it better~.” Beat made a little pose in the water, trying to look innocent. It didn’t work. 

“Careful Beat, your horns are showing.”

“Oh, those? They’re just to hold up my halo~!”

They held each other’s gaze for a moment, before the serious act shattered between them, both nearly collapsing in laughter. They barely managed to calm themselves by the time they made it to the front doors of the palace. That’s when Trollex hesitated, wringing his fingers nervously.

“Don’t you think they’ll be mad, Beat?”

Beat looked over at the young king, and smiled. “Still nervous, huh? Don’t worry so much, they’ll be happy to see you back. Trust me.”

He bit his lip lightly, and nodded. He could do this… he could do this! He reached out, setting his hands on the doors, ready to push them open. 

…

“Nope, can’t do it.” He took his hands off the door and turned to swim away. He’d gather his courage and come back in a bit—

His eyes widened as he heard a whoosh and a creak behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, and found Beat grinning widely, floating in front of a now open door, his tribe staring at him from beyond.

He was going to fricassee that fish!

He turned, blushing a soft pink as he waved shyly to the tribe, who was staring at him silently. Expectantly. “Er… Hi, everyone…?”

That seemed to break the flood gates, as an excited chatter started through the crowd, many of the trolls calling out to him, and some even waving enthusiastically. He could recognize a bunch of them by name, and seeing them together, happy and healthy, warmed his heart. He smiled brightly, not realizing he had tears streaming down his cheeks.

That’s when Coral blush pushed his way through the crowd, darting to him and hugging him. “Don’t cry, mister Trollex!” That got everyone else to swim forward, giving him back pats, hugs, and affectionate head rubs. 

He laughed softly, rubbing at his eyes. “I’m alright guys, promise! Haha, hey, that tickles!” He flicked his tail at Bliss Marina, who had tried tickling his ear fin.

Bliss grinned and laughed. “Good to have you back, king Trollex.”

It took quite a while for him to get his trolls to calm down and return to a group so he could talk to them. Of course, Coral blush insisted on lying on his head. He didn’t mind it, and figured it might break any coming tension.

He cleared his throat. This will be a bit hard. “So, as you all know, I left a while ago after I lost my color… I won’t go into detail around that just yet, but as you can see, I’ve gotten some back… just not all of it.” He held out his arm to show the mix of colored and black stripes. “I need to get two more, green and blue. Blue I can get from our own music, but…” He sighed, looking down as his ear fins drooped. “I…I don’t think I can make any… I can’t seem to bring myself to make any Techno…”

Bliss swam forward, holding up a hand. “Maybe… we can try? I know none of us really know how, but… maybe you can help us? So we can help you? We’ll do everything we can to help you.” She smiled sweetly. “After everything you do for us, it’s the least we can do.” That got many cheers and cries of accent. Many trolls were piping up about what they could contribute to the cause.

Beat swam a little closer to a stunned silent Trollex, smirking as he whispered to his friend. “Told ya, you’re their king, and they wouldn’t have it any other way…”

Trollex sniffled, rubbing at his eyes a bit. “Guys… thank you. I’ll do what I can to help out. But for now… it’s gotten rather late, we should meet again tomorrow around noon. Anyone who wants to help, meet me here at the court yard and I’ll give you a crash course. I’ll need someone to get the right critters here to.”

Bliss puffed her chest a little. “I’ll take care of the critters!” She swam off quickly, and the other trolls gathered began to disperse as well, heading off to their own tasks to get ready for tomorrow. 

Once he managed to get Coral to let go of him and give him back to his parents, he swam into the castle, feeling like he was infinitely lighter. He looked over to Beat, who seemed lost in thought. “What’s wrong, Beat? Something on your mind?”

“Yeah, actually. I’m trying to think of what I can do to help to. I know we have to be careful about the pacing, but I’m worried whoever decides to actually do the song is careful… If I help on the board like I do with you, then I can probably keep that from happening, but…” He sighed. “It feels wrong, doing a song without you man…”

Trollex smiled a bit. “Mm, it’s a bit weird for me to, thinking another troll will be doing what I usually do. It’s… kinda nice that I can share it with my trolls though. I’m sure it’ll be fine~.” Though he was making a mental note to mention the complications with their biology and the tempo. It was about time they changed things, and this was going to be a change for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry for my absence the other day! I had some things to take care of irl, but I managed to get this chapter done today! I hope everyone likes it.
> 
> And for those that want to get a hold of me, ask me stuff, or just chat, I'm always available on Tumblr!  
> https://sinnamon-bunnys.tumblr.com/


	24. Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex finally gets a chance to sleep in his own bed, and gets a fantastic surprise when he wakes up the next morning!

After a good night’s sleep in his own bed, Trollex woke up feeling new and fresh. He hummed along to some of the songs he’d heard on his trip as he did his morning routine, and by the time Beat was up, he was brushing his teeth while singing coat of many colors to his toothbrush. Beat blinked a bit, watching Trollex as he danced.

Eventually Beat decided to catch the others attention, letting out an awkward cough. He snickered a bit as Trollex let out a startled cry, zipping to hide behind the nearest object, which happened to be a coral tree used as a light fixture. 

Trollex peaked out from behind the coral; shooting Beat a half-hearted glare. “Beat? What are you doing?”

The little fish grinned. “Making sure you’re going to be ready for when you talk to the Trolls gathered outside. If you were planning on a smaller crowd than yesterday, prepare to be disappointed!”

He tilted his head slightly. “What do you mean? How many are out there…?” 

Beat hummed, looking up to the ceiling in thought. “Well, every single Troll in Techno reef came back, plus a strange group of Pop trolls, and a couple Rock trolls to.”

His eyes widened and he swam quickly out of the bathroom and made his way to a balcony that overlooked the courtyard. Sure enough, he could see a familiar group of Pop trolls, and an assortment of Rock trolls, with one being familiar. “Barb, Poppy, Branch and the snack pack are here!” He laughed, diving off of the balcony and swimming to the group. “Welcome to my home, guys!”

He laughed when he realized just what was going on. All the foreign trolls were trying to figure out how to swim, while the Techno trolls did their best to keep the group at least floating upright. He watched as the sparkly Pop troll, who he remembered was Guy Diamond, floated upside down, grinning at Trollex. “King Trollex! Hi! Nice place you have here, very colorful.”

Poppy spun in the water when she heard Guy diamond address him, and she did her best to tackle hug him, which turned into an awkward swim and a clumsy embrace. “Trollex! This place is so pretty! I wish I’d come here sooner!”

Of all of them, the three having the easiest time were DJ Suki, who was riding on his usual Synthfish, Branch, who seemed to adjust well to the water, and Cooper, who he knew had done this before with him. He perked up when he heard a distressed cry, and looked up to see the largest troll, Biggie, floating upwards and struggling to return to their level. He chuckled as he watched Bliss Marina swim up to help him back down. 

That was when he noticed that it seemed to be one Techno troll sticking next to each guest, helping them swim and blowing the occasional heart bubble. “You guys helped my friends get down here? But why?”

Bliss smiled sweetly, keeping a hand on Biggie’s shoulder to keep him from floating away again. “Beat told us how much you enjoyed your time on the surface with your friends, so we thought we’d invite who we could!”

Cooper smiled, swimming closer to Trollex. “Yeah! Mom ‘n’ dad woulda come to, but they had to stay and help D. with a few things back home.” 

Guy diamond floated by them, though it was clear the gentle ebb and flow of the seas current was moving him around. He had given up on fighting the will of the water. “So, we decided to come! I wanted to meet more Techno trolls, and man, I thought Pop village was bright and colorful!” He waved a hand through the water, which was when Trollex noticed that there was a thin cloud of glitter around the silver troll.

Barb crossed her arms, showing off her toothy grin. “Yeah! Your trolls gave us a grand tour, and then at the end told us they were trying to set up a concert for you!” She motioned between herself, Poppy, and Branch. “So we’ve been trying to figure out how we can help to. I brought some rock trolls to help with any heavy lifting, and Popcorn over there brought her friend the DJ.”

At that, Trollex looked over towards DJ Suki, who was gently petting a very happy looking Synthfish. He gave his fin a flick and swam over, catching her attention. “Oh my gosh, Trollex this lil’ guy is so sweet~. He offered to help me out with swimming. What’s his name?”

His ears perked up at that. “Wait, you know it’s a boy…? Um, his name is Syn, and he’s a Synthfish. He helps me out with my shows usually.” He smiled as Suki affectionately rubbed Syn’s head, eliciting a pleased sound from the large fish. “I guess Synthfish have the same sensibility as Wooferbugs, huh?”

Suki grinned, nodding. “He took to me fast. So I was thinking, I could help by doing what you usually do! You usually DJ the party, so let me this time!” 

He set a hand on his chin, looking up at Suki. Already being a DJ will certainly help, and with Syn already having taken to her, he wasn’t sure the fish would let anyone else other than him play the show. He gave a nod and thumbs up. He hiked his voice up in volume to make sure everyone gathered heard him. “Alright, all you trolls, listen up! We have guests, and they’ve offered to help with the show tonight! We have our DJ, so Techno trolls; let them help with set up. Wherever you need a fin, don’t hesitate to ask! Make sure the surface trolls always have a Techno troll with them, and don’t let Heart bubble wear off. We’re too far from the surface for them to make it back up safely for air.”

At the mention of that part, every land dwelling troll looked upwards, audibly gulping. He smiled. “Don’t worry guys, I trust my tribe with my life. They won’t let any of you get hurt.” He swam over to Poppy and Barb in turn, offering a hand shake. “Thanks again for the help, you guys. I really owe you one…”

Poppy grinned, though there was a clear hint of mischief to it. “Don’t thank us yet! Wait till this awesome party! For now, though, we have to get you looking great!” she looked back over her shoulder. “Satin? Chenille? Think you can do something with our young king here?”

The two trolls that were connected by the hair paused in their chat with the Blush family, turning to Poppy. The blue skinned one spoke up first. “That’s who we get to work with?” She gasped, nudging her sister. “Oh gosh, look at his colors…! There is SO much we can do with that color scheme~, what do you think, Satin?”

The pink skinned one, Satin looked him over appraisingly, causing him to shrink in on himself slightly. “Oh definitely.” She hummed in thought, and the two worked together to swim a little closer. Satin swimming a slow circle around him. “We’ve never worked on a troll that wasn’t like a Pop troll before, so it could be a fun challenge!”

Chenille giggled, and the two sisters started to swim towards the castle, catching Trollex using the hair stretched between them. They spoke in unison. “Let’s get you dressed, your majesty~.” And they shut the doors behind themselves and vanished into the castle.

At some point, the rolls become reversed as they moved through the halls of the castle, Trollex now guiding them through towards his room. Once there, he looked quizzically at Satin and Chenille. “You guys… do know we don’t have any material down here, right?” He gestured to himself. “We tend not to wear clothes.”

The two sisters shared a grin, and started pulling clothes from their hair. His eyes widened with each new garment, and soon there was a haphazard pile of clothes and accessories on his bed. He blinked dumbly as he stared at it. “How did you… Where was all of that?!” He knew he could store small items in his hair, but… all of this?

They began to sort through the clothes, holding a shirt or a scarf up towards him, and then shaking their heads. Sometimes one would like something, but the other would disagree. This would often end with an argument, and the piece being tossed completely out the window.

At some point, Trollex realized that there wasn’t much need for his input, and all he really had to do was stay in one place. He let his mind wander, staring out the window as he considered how the show tonight might go. It was odd to be the guest of honor, when usually he’d host for the tribe. The last show had been dedicated to the Blush family, who had just hatched their first egg, Coral.

That was when Barb had attacked. 

Thinking about the attack got Trollex to realize something. Barb said she didn’t know how she knew gathering the strings would let her control other genres. He doubted King Thrash had ever known how, so where did she find that information? She also hadn’t questioned what happened in the basement of her dad’s place. 

Was it possible that it was a common occurrence for the Rock trolls? Or just her in particular? He’d have to ask next time he saw her… He squeaked a bit when a bundle of clothes was suddenly shoved into his arms. “Wha…?”

Satin sighed, scratching at her head. “After a lot of fighting, we finally figured this would fit you best. Well, try them on!” 

He nodded quickly and zipped off into his bathroom. He didn’t need privacy, since he wasn’t wearing anything, but he wanted to get away from the seemingly irate twins. Once safe in the bathroom, he started to pull things from the pile. He was shocked at first to find a pair of headphones where, upon trying them on, he realized that not only were they fully water proof, but they worked as well!

He slipped them down to hang loosely around his neck and looked at the next item. It looked to be a loose long sleeve, which would expose his shoulders and the upper half of his heart. It had a soft grey that faded into pale blue half way through, stylized fish stitched along the bottom. He slipped into it, looking down and noting that it went over his tail a little. 

Last was a strange bracelet, and when he traced a finger along it he realized something. “This feels like… Funk troll fur...?” He took a closer look. “It looks like Coopers… What is this thing supposed to be?” He slipped it onto his wrist, staring at it. It looked pretty good, so he kept it on.

He glanced over to the mirror, and let out a whistle. He looked rather sharp! He traced a hand along the headphones, then patted down the shirt. It was surprisingly comfortable to, and light despite the fact he was under water. He turned and opened the door to slide out of the bathroom.

He let out a startled cry when he saw Satin and Chenille right at the door, practically face to face with him now. He darted back in the water, gasping to regain his breath and steady his heart. “Holy mackerel…! You scared the scales off of me!”

The two twins weren’t paying his distress any mind, looking him over from head to tail tip. After a moments consideration, they grinned and high fived each other. “Perfect!”

He glanced down at himself, then towards them. “A-Alright, well, now what?”

“Now, we have to get you over to the—“ Satin stopped talking suddenly, her hands suddenly clutching at her throat. 

Chenille jumped a bit, a hand resting on Satin’s shoulder. “Hey, Satin, what’s wrong?”

His eyes widened a bit. Had heart bubble worn off? He put his hands together, forming a heart with them. He blew gently into the space, a pixelated heart shaped bubble forming and floating to Satin. It quickly made it to the panicking troll, and popped against her chest. “There, try breathing.”

She took a sharp breath in, and coughed, doubling over. He made another heart bubble, blowing it to Chenille. It popped against her back as she tried to help her sister. It was better safe than sorry. He glanced out the window, hoping that the other land trolls all had a Techno escort. He had to trust that his trolls knew what to do.

Once Satin was able to breathe again without as much difficulty, she stood straight, rubbing at her throat. “That was scary…!”

Chenille nodded, pulling her sister into a tight hug before looking at Trollex. “Thanks for that… Those bubbles don’t last too long, do they…? How do they work, anyway?”

He just gave a small shrug. “I’m not sure, and I don’t think anyone in the tribe does either. All we know is we can do it, and if you ride down in critters, they can help you breathe down here for a short time to.”

As the twins nodded a bit, Trollex couldn’t help but feel anxious. He should have tried to keep all the land trolls together and stick with them. “Let’s head back to the group. They’re probably at the DJ reef by now.” He glanced between the two. “Umm, how’s your swimming? I could always carry one of you on my back and the other in my arms…?”

They shared a look, then shrugged. “We’ll try to keep up.”

They began the rather slow journey towards the DJ reef, Trollex needing to constantly remind himself to take it slow. Once they did eventually make it to the group, he couldn’t help but pause in the water, staring ahead. While it didn’t look exactly like it had before the attack, it was looking far better than it had when he left. Much of the coral had regrown, and with the help of the Rock trolls Barb had brought, the finishing touches were nearly done. There was even one rock troll who was helping to babysit Coral while his parents told the land trolls about their home.

He smiled softly at the sight. He remembered seeing Techno trolls amongst other troll communities, but to see them so joyfully showing around another tribe made his day. He helped Satin and Chenille over to the other Pop trolls, which was when he was approached by Branch. He was a little surprised when the Pop king pulled him aside. 

“Trollex, I’d been meaning to ask you for a long while now, but… Do you remember the story? The one that gave us the idea to send you to each tribe to begin with.” When Trollex nodded, Branch continued. “Well… in your story, the young troll that lost their color was a Techno troll, right?”

Trollex nodded, tilting his head. “Yeah? It was written by a Techno troll, after all.”

Branch nodded. “See, that’s just it. Your version was adapted by a Techno troll. We have a version just like it, but it features a Pop troll… I asked the other leaders and sure enough, they all have the same story, but with their own tribe being the one that lost the color…”

“So, if that’s the case, where did the story come from the first time? And why were the 6 major tribes the one that gave their color? Which tribe was originally the grey troll…?”

He blinked, never having thought of that. Branch had mentioned they had similar stories, but for it to span all troll tribes? Each only different based on which tribe the grey troll was. He looked towards the group of three tribes working on the coral and set up. Each had grown up with a different version of the same story… so why?

Branch held up a finger, looking at Trollex. “I think… there’s a troll tribe that no one knows. And that’s who the original grey troll was. A member of that tribe…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pop outfit! Yes, I know that Pop outfit came in at Techno reef, and that prob seems weird, but the Techno outfit, which will be posted on my blog once it's intro chapter is up, will be closer to the end. 
> 
> Oh, by the way, less than 10 more chapters, and that's over estimating
> 
> Nearly there, everyone!
> 
> And no, this world I built up won't be left alone, I have snippits planned already lol.


	25. Past, present, and future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the Pop trolls, Rock trolls, and Techno trolls are ready to throw the ultimate rave! With his colors so close, nothing could possibly go wrong.

Trollex had come to respect Branch’s cautious ways and his ability to assess any situation. Especially in this moment, where Branch had just brought to light a very interesting idea. He rubbed at the back of his head, remembering the details of the children’s story that all the tribes apparently shared.

“A tribe of trolls different from the others… One that we haven’t heard about and only MIGHT be connected to an old kid’s story? I don’t know Branch, that’s a lot of what ifs and questions…” 

Branch nodded a bit. “I know, it’s why I didn’t bring it up sooner, but I figured it’s now or never… If we can’t get your green back when we get your blue, then it’s the only other option, right? There has to be a seventh tribe out there somewhere.”

“Even if that’s true, Branch, how would we find them? If the only mention is in a story that’s been changed across all the tribes, where are we supposed to look? How do we find them?”

“Well, let’s look at what we do know….” Branch pulled out several rocks, all of which were a different color. He led up the pile. “We know that the troll in the story ASKED to have his color taken away, so he could be like his friends, right?” He pulled out a grey stone and held it up. “Grey is a lot less noticeable than a rainbow, after all.” He smiled nervously. “No offence of course.”

He waved off the others concern. “None taken.”

“And we know that in every story, the rainbow troll asks a rainbow to take away his color. Maybe that’s important? I know a cloud that we could ask, but… I’d rather not deal with him, he’s… hard to handle.” Trollex noted the nervous and exhausted tone Branch used when speaking about the cloud in question. “Beyond that, we know that sometime in the past, all our tribes would have been connected to this other tribe.” He smiled. “And I think that was before the strings ever existed.”

His eyes widened slightly. “Wait, that’s a big jump! What makes you think it’s from BEFORE the strings?” If that was true, then a children’s book might be the closest thing to a history before the strings. 

“In the story, the trolls just give a piece of their color, but for you, you get it from music and building a connection to it and its tribe… That means since the story had no mention of music, it came before the strings.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, that’s about as far as I can figure. None of the leaders have any books from that time, or anyone that’s heard of a seventh tribe…”

Trollex slumped. They were back to square one, even after all of Branch’s hard work. “I guess we just have to hope that I can get my green with my tribe…” He found his eyes drifting past Branch, falling on the darkness just outside of the Barrier reef.

He jolted slightly when he felt someone tap his shoulder, spinning around to come face to face with Poppy, who was grinning from ear to ear. “Ohmygosh Trollex! You look so cute! Come on, don’t be a loner, come see how it’s coming! We should be able to do the show for you by tonight!”

He let out a yelp as she grabbed his hand and started to swim away with him. He looked at Branch, who gave a small salute. He had a feeling he wouldn’t get out of this any time soon.

Once he had been dragged over to the main group, he realized just how bad an idea it was to have agreed to the outfit. Just about every Techno troll was completely awe struck, many of the girls commenting on how cute he was, and the boy commenting on wanting to see Trollex in other outfits. Being the center of attention with his own trolls was common, but usually when they were this amped up, he had a reason to keep his distance. He chuckled awkwardly, fiddling with the bracelet on his wrist.

That’s when a bloom suddenly sprouted on the bracelet, letting out a soft chiming sound. He stared at it, along with all the other Techno trolls gathered around him. “What in Th—WAH!” He cried out as he was suddenly tackled by Poppy, and it quickly tuned into a hug pile consisting of every visiting Pop troll pilling on top of Trollex, who was very confused and distressed.

After a few moments of struggles, he realized it was hopeless, and there was no method of escape. He could distantly hear his trolls muttering to each other, trying to figure out what their guests were doing to their king. 

After a bit, the hug pile began to dissipate, the Pop trolls all laughing at the poor confused Trollex, who was finally able to breath. He looked between them all, eyes wide. “What in the deep ocean was that all about?”

Poppy gestured to the bracelet on her wrist, which looked similar to the one they’d given him. “It was hug time!”

Trollex could see Coral Blush out of the corner of his eye, and saw him watching with rapt attention. If hug time was what he thought he was, he hoped Coral didn’t get any ideas. “Um, what is hug time, anyway…?”

“Oh! We Pop trolls hug every hour, to remind us that we’re all together and all happy and everything is wonderful! The bracelets let us know when hug time is~.” She gestured to Cooper, who floated over. “Ours are made from Cooper’s fur!”

He looked at Cooper, who seemed pleased as punch. “But… HOW does it work? I… huh?” 

He watched as Coral slowly floated forward, nervously tugging at his fingers. He looked up at Poppy and Cooper, smiling nervously. “Miss Queen Poppy, Mister Prince Cooper, can I have a hug time bracelet to…? I wanna hug everyone and make em all happy…!”

There was a collective D’Awwww from all gathered and Poppy sniffled softly, nodding as she tried to crouch in an attempt to get more on Coral’s level. This ended with Cooper needing to steady her and keep her from summersaulting off into open water. “Oooh, of course!” She looked at all the curious and eager Techno trolls. “Next time we come, we’ll bring a whole bunch so everyone can have one!”

The Techno troll tribe all cheered, Coral dashing forward to hug Poppy, knocking her into a cartwheel through the water. She giggled, holding Coral close and giving him a snuggle. Trollex sighed, smiling softly. While he was happy his tribe was enjoying other troll cultures, he wasn’t too sure he’d enjoy hug time as much as the Pop trolls.

Once everyone had at last calmed down, Trollex was surprised to spot Guy diamond up on the DJ stand with DJ Suki. The two seemed to be discussing something. He swam over, tilting his head slightly and giving the Synthfish a gentle pet on the head. “What are you two up to?”

Suki smiled, gesturing to Guy Diamond. “We’re making the finishing touches before we start up. Guy’s going to sing, and I’ll be taking care of mixing!” He had to admit, it was a good plan. Between Suki being the DJ and Guy doing vocals, this party would be nearly exactly like the ones he would throw. 

He grinned, his ear fins wiggling a bit in his joy. “This is going to be great! I can’t believe you’re nearly done already. Do you want me to do anything?”

Suki shook her head as two Ampfish swam towards her. She smiled at them before addressing Trollex. “No, we got this. We just gotta wait on your lil fishy friend now. Beat was his name, right?”

Trollex nodded, and flicked his tail, propelling himself backwards slightly. “Yup! I’ll go get him; I’m the fastest swimmer in my tribe, after all!” He zipped off, making his way back to LED castle. It was true; he was the fastest in his tribe, even without track skip. When he did have it, nothing could keep up with him.

His mom was the only one who used to be able to beat him. He looked out towards the deep ocean, smiling sadly. “Mom, dad… what would you guys say to all this? Letting land trolls throw a Techno rave…? Would you be proud of what I became…?” 

As he grew close enough to the castle to make out its details, he hesitated, staring up at it. So much had happened in such a short time. He had managed to find friends and new family outside of the water, and learned that his trolls really did care about him. He looked down at his outfit, fiddling with the bracelet. Maybe they wanted him to stay king? He could ask, and make an offer similar to Lonesome flats. He liked the idea of giving them that option.

Plus, if he never had a clutch of his own… 

He shook the thoughts from his head. He didn’t like to think about the possibility of eggs, but… he had met some trolls on his trip that had struck his fancy…

He swam forward and in through his bedroom window, where he found Beat snoozing happily on his pillow again. He chuckled and floated over the bed, looking down at the sleeping fish. “Hey, Beat… it’s time to wake up lil’ buddy… The party’s gonna start soon, and we need you there.” He gave the other a gentle poke. “Wake up bud.”

Beat let out a frustrated grumble, his eyes opening a little to stare up at Trollex. “Dude, what’s going on…? They can’t really be ready already…”

Trollex nodded. “Those land trolls work fast. The DJ and the singer are all ready to start the show, they just need you.”

The little fish stretched his fins a bit, giving them a little flick to shake the sleep off before he floated off the pillow. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get you back your color!” Beat swam quickly out the window, Trollex laughing as he followed close behind. 

It didn’t take them long to make it back to the DJ reef, but within the time he’d been gone, all Techno trolls in the kingdom had gathered, all chatting excitedly while Poppy, Branch, Cooper and Barb floated near the coral structure, Suki and Guy diamond behind the Synthfish.

He could see the rest of the snack pack scattered around the structure, seeming ready to dance when everything started up.

The two swam down to the group of land trolls, grinning brightly. “Alright, I got Beat!” He watched as Beat swam forward, taking up his usual position. He glanced over towards the gathered royals, and nodded. “What say we get this party started?”

Poppy set her hands on her hips, turning to address the crowd. “WHO’S READY TO PAR-TAY!!”

All the Techno trolls let out an excited cry, and Poppy spun to Suki and Guy Diamond, cuing them to start.

Guy Diamond and Suki shared a look, before Guy began to sing into a head mounted microphone, swinging his arms open wide in the water, spreading a cloud of glitter in the water.

Work it  
Make it  
Do it  
Makes us

Suki kicked on the beat, and the party was on! Trollex grinned, darting off into the crowd of Techno trolls to dance with him tribe. He’d not gotten a chance to do this since his parents passed!

Harder  
Better  
Faster  
Stronger  
More than  
Hour  
Our  
Never  
Ever  
After  
Work is  
Over  
Work it  
Make it  
Do it  
Makes us  
Harder  
Better  
Faster  
Stronger

Having Guy Diamond sing was a fantastic idea, with his singing voice sounding so similar to their own, it felt so naturally Techno, even though it was two Pop trolls preforming.

Work it harder  
Make it better  
Do it faster  
Makes us stronger  
More than ever  
Hour after  
Our work is  
Never over

He could see all the other land trolls dancing, some singing along and all showing off completely different move sets. He even saw Biggie trying to copy his trick from the post world tour party using Mr. Dinkles in place of Beat.

Work it harder  
Make it better  
Do it faster  
Makes us stronger  
More than ever  
Hour after  
Our work is  
Never over  
Work it harder  
Make it better  
Do it faster  
Makes us stronger  
More than ever  
Hour after  
Our work is  
Never over  
Work it harder  
Make it better  
Do it faster  
Makes us stronger  
More than ever  
Hour after  
Our work is  
Never over  
Work it harder  
Make it better  
Do it faster  
Makes us stronger  
More than ever  
Hour after  
Our work is  
Never over  
Work it harder  
Make it better  
Do it faster  
Makes us stronger  
More than ever  
Hour after  
Our work is  
Never over  
Work it harder  
Make it better  
Do it faster  
Makes us stronger  
More than ever  
Hour after  
Our work is  
Never over

He could feel his heart racing, glancing down to see his heart pulsing a strong blue. He grinned widely, and grabbed the nearest troll to dance with, which happened to be Coral. The two spun together, Coral giggling as his own small heart beat quickly to the tempo.

Work it harder make it  
Do it faster makes us  
More than ever hour  
Our work is never over  
Work it harder make it  
Do it faster makes us  
More than ever hour  
Our work is never over

He could feel a familiar melody playing within his heart, and a quick glance down at his body confirmed what he thought. Not only was the blue coloration on his arms back, but his whole body returned to its former color, the pixels on his tail lighting up brightly.

Work it  
Make it better  
Do it faster  
Makes us stronger  
More than ever  
Hour after  
Our work is  
Never over  
Work it harder make it  
Do it faster makes us  
More than ever hour  
Our work is never over  
Work it harder make it  
Do it faster makes us  
More than ever hour  
Our work is never over

He felt a sharp pang of pain in his chest, and he bit his lip, resting a hand over his racing heart. He was starting to feel dizzy, the world turning blurry around him. 

Work it harder  
Do it faster  
More than ever  
Our work is never over

He looked down, shocked when Coral let out a little whimper and fell into his chest. “I don’t feel so good…” Oh no… the tempo! A quick look over at his people confirmed his suspicions. All of them were slowing down, wanting to enjoy the music but suffering the effects of the tempo. He held Coral close, doing his best to swim for the DJ booth.

Work it harder  
Make it better  
Do it faster  
Makes us stronger  
More than ever  
Hour after  
Our work is never over

Trollex, having lost his sense of up and down, mistakenly slammed into the Synthfish, but luckily that was enough to stop any music. Suki and Guy diamond jumped, swimming back in the water a short distance as the young king floated in the water, still holding Coral close. 

Poppy looked at Trollex worriedly, then over the crowd, seeing that all of them were in varying degrees of consciousness, those that remained awake holding their chests and in clear pain.

Poppy gasped. “Oh no… the Tempo! Guys, help me get them to the surface! We can take care of them on land…!”

Those were the last words he heard as Trollex fell unconscious, his heart beating painfully in his chest as blood rushed to his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, by Daft Punk
> 
> You'd be surprised how few Techno songs have a high tempo near the end. Not just that but this song has a very pop'y beat to it. My other choice was Technologic, but in case no one has seen the music video for it, don't search it.... It's nightmare fuel....-shudders-


	26. Drop the Beat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talk about a hangover! Trollex wakes with a headache after the party that got him back his blue, but all is not right with the world...

“…I don’t get it; they’ve been out so long… There’s got to be something we can do to help…!” 

Trollex groaned softly, opening his eyes a bit only to screw them shut again. It was so bright… His entire body hurt, and he felt like if he so much as moved he’d be sick. He tried to remember the last thing that happened before he blacked out.

That’s when his eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly, his body and mind screaming in protest of two very different things. He glanced over, seeing a very startled Poppy and barb a few feet away. He tried to push himself out of the bed, but his abilities seemed to be on the fritz. He fell off, hitting the floor with a dull thud. 

Barb and Poppy ran over, doing their best to help Trollex back up to sit on the edge of his bed. Once he regained himself, he looked between the two queens. “W-Where is everyone… are they ok…?”

The queen of rock pushed him gently by the shoulders, laying him down. “Everyone is fine. They’re all stable and being cared for by the best we have here… Don’t worry; the Rock trolls will make sure you’re all fine.”

He looked to the nearest source of the blinding light, and realized it was the sun shining through a window on the surface. “We’re… out of the water…? Did you guys take us all to Volcano rock city…?”

Poppy nodded. “We had to… we couldn’t stay down there and help, we’d have had to come up eventually. We decided to bring you guys up so we could make sure you were all ok.”

He sighed, letting his eyes slip shut again. He was so tired… “Did anyone stay behind, or did they all come up…?” His mom had told him that some are more affected than others by the fast tempo, but it’s still good for all involved to get care. 

She nodded again. “Yeah, Cooper, Barb and I checked ourselves with the help of her Angler busses. Techno reef is completely empty.”

He felt a pang of fear bubble up in his heart. Hearing that his home was completely empty was disturbing on a level he couldn’t quite place. “And Coral… is he ok? He’s the youngest; he’ll be hit hardest…” 

The two queens shared a worried look before Barb spoke. “He’s in the same state as the others; you’re the first to have woken up… We hoped you could explain a bit about all this so we can help a bit better.”

As the two waited for the king to respond, they were shocked to hear a soft snore slip from him. “Seriously? He’s asleep again?” She looked at Poppy. “Do YOU know what’s going on at all? You yelled something about the Tempo… isn’t that the speed of a song?”

She nodded. “Yeah… When Trollex, Branch and I went to Symphonyville, we heard one of the trolls there play his violin. It was a really slow song, but it was nice. Suddenly, Trollex just falls asleep! After that, he said his tribe is affected by the speed of the song… I had forgotten to mention that to Suki and Guy Diamond…” She scratched at her hair, looking at the young sleeping king. She was happy he’d gotten his color back, but the cost was nearly him and his whole tribe.

The two queens perked up when they heard approaching footsteps, turning to the doorway in time to see Branch step inside, eyes staring to the floor with his chin in his hand. He was clearly deep in thought, paying little attention to his surroundings.

Poppy and Barb stepped aside, making room for Branch as he walked up to Trollex’s bed. He still didn’t acknowledge them, his eyes closing as he concentrated. “Could green be a clue? The colors used to match the strings… maybe I had it wrong, maybe there was a green string once…” He rubbed at his temples. “But that would mean they were around DURING the time of the strings, not before…”

Barb glanced past Branch at Poppy, giving her a curious look. The queen of pop shrugged a bit, then set a hand on Branch’s shoulder, startling the troll to reality. “Branch, what’s going on? What are you talking about?”

He blinked a moment, his mind still returning to him. “Uh… what? Oh, you mean the green?” He gestured to the sleeping Trollex. “He’s got all his color back but green, but there’s no more tribes to visit. I’ve been trying to figure out where he might get green from…”

As the three began discussing the possible places the green could come from, Trollex began to wake up again. He opened his eyes, a hand moving to rest lightly on his chest. His chest still hurt a little bit, but he could manage. As he sat up, he finally caught the three royals’ attention. Poppy was the first to speak, trying to keep her voice down a bit. “Trollex, you’re awake again…! Are you ok?”

He nodded a little, but winced slightly. “Just dizzy…” He rubbed at his eyes, letting out a yawn. 

Barb crossed her arms. “Hopefully not too dizzy. I need you to explain what happened so I can take care of your trolls!”

He sat up a little straighter at that, the fog lifting from his still grey eyes. “Oh! Um, right… Well, do you need to know why, how or what? Cause all those answers are pretty different…”

“How about all of them, in that order.”

He nodded a bit. “Alright, starting with why then? Well, my parents said that the reason is because high energy music became a replacement for a healthy amount of sunlight. Basically, land creatures, and those that live in the sunshine, get a kind of energy from it, that doesn’t go to deep into the ocean. So our ancestors adapted over time and became better equipped to live in the dark of the deep ocean.”

“How I think is a bit harder… Basically our hearts sync op to the beat, I suppose. That gets our hearts beating faster, the blood rushing, and… well, basically heart attack. Much faster and… trolls don’t survive. If you said everyone survived, then that’s a blessing.”

“What’s going on is basically blood pressure spiked, we faint, and our brains can’t get the right amount of everything it needs. We just need our hearts to slow to normal again and to make it past the physical effects.” He stretched a bit, giving his tail a flick. “Course, no one can use any abilities until our bodies fully recover. So no flying around for a little while.”

Poppy tugged lightly at the hug time bracelet on her wrist. “So… you guys will be fine…? No one will…”

He smiled softly. “No one is going to die, Poppy. We’ll be fine…” He moved to slide out of bed, setting his fins on the floor before standing. He wobbled slightly, Branch and Poppy reaching out to steady him. “Thanks. I’m going to check on Coral and his family though. Where are they?” 

“They should be in the room a few doors down. Just turn to the left when you get out of the room and it’ll be the fourth door on your right.” Barb smiled a bit. “I’ve got a few other trolls I need to see, so I’ll leave you to it.”

He nodded, walking out of the room, his fins slapping lightly on the floor. Branch came up behind him with a when chair, smiling. “Sit, I’ll bring you. Walking doesn’t look too easy for you.”

Trollex grinned. “Thanks! I’ll take you up on that.” He sat in the chair, sighing once he was off is fins. Branch pushed him along, but Trollex noticed the other staring at his hair. He glanced up, seeing the gray strands lying limp against his head. “I still need my green then, huh? There has to be some clues about where I can get it…”

Branch hummed a bit, looking at the doors as they passed them, keeping count. “Well, maybe we can sit down and take another look at the story after your visit with Coral?”

He nodded. “Alright, that sounds like a plan. Oh, there’s the door!” He pointed ahead, smiling as Branch hurried his steps. Once inside the room, Trollex’s smile fell. He could see Coral sleeping on the far bed, but… of the other three trolls in here, none were his parents. “Branch, I thought Barb said his parents were in here?” 

The king of pop perked up a bit, glancing around the room. “Huh… you’re right… You visit Coral; I’ll go try and find his parents and get them transferred together.” Branch wheeled Trollex over to Coral’s bedside before running off, waving as he left the room.

Trollex was glad that Branch had a memory for faces. He could understand a small mix up, after all Techno trolls didn’t have too many variations unless you knew where to look. He trusted Branch would find them quickly. He folded his arms on the edge of the bed, smiling at Coral. “Hey lil buddy… how you holding up…?”

Coral scrunched up his eyes a bit, swatting blindly in the direction of Trollex’s voice. “Fii mo miiinnnmmmm…” 

He chuckled softly, reaching out and gently patting the hatchling on the head. “Come on, Coral… it’s time to get up…”

Slowly the young troll did crack his green eyes open, and smiled at Trollex. “Mm… morning…” He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. That’s when he seemed to notice he wasn’t in the ocean anymore. He returned his gaze to Trollex, his eyes practically sparkling with excitement. “Are we… on the surface…?”

Trollex sat up straight, grinning brightly as he held his arms open wide. “Yup! Coral, welcome to Volcano rock city, home of the rock trolls!”

The little Techno troll let out a hyper squeal, but quickly clapped his hands over his mouth as he heard a groan from a nearby troll in another bed. He turned to Trollex with barely contained excitement, whispering quietly. “Yaaaaaaay….!”

Trollex barely supressed his own snickering, grabbing the wheels on his chair and pushing himself back. “Come on Coral; let me show you around a bit. You seem to be well enough.” The young troll needed no second bidding, leaping from the bed and landing in Trollex’s lap. He quickly adjusted himself to sit with his back to Trollex’s chest, his fin stretched out over Trollex’s.

Once he was comfortable, Trollex began to wheel them out of the room to start their adventure. As they passed through the hall, they ran into several Rock trolls wandering the halls. Some visiting family, some working to help those here, and some others that had come to sneak a peek at their guests. When these trolls spotted Trollex showing Coral around, they would stop and ask for pictures, or just to have a friendly chat.

As they enjoyed their time exploring, Trollex began to grow nervous. He found himself on high alert, glancing around corners and avoiding darker spaces. At one point, he held Coral a little tighter, staring down a darkened hall. 

He nearly leapt out of his scales when he heard Branch calling his name from the other end of the hall. He spun around, seeing Branch skid to a stop in front of him. He tilted his head, noting the panicked look on Branch’s face. “Branch, what’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost…”

“Missing…” Branch panted, standing straight as he finally regained his breath. “Coral’s parents, and a bunch of others… they’re missing! No one knows where they are… and no one can find Beat, either…!”

Trollex wasn’t sure he’d heard Branch right. 

“I-I’m… I’m sorry, did you say… missing? There are… trolls missing…?”

Branch bit his lip, moving back slightly. He nodded a little.

Coral looked back at him, and he could feel a cold realization gripping his heart. “Mister Trollex…? Where are mommy and daddy…?”

He smiled nervously down at the young Techno troll in his lap. “I…I’m sure your mom and dad are fine… Why don’t you head on back to your room with uncle Branch, I have a few things to check on, ok…?” He lifted Coral gently and passed him to Branch, who held him softly. With a last look of concern towards the young king, Branch took Coral back to his room.

Trollex wheeled himself to the nearest window, staring out at the blue sky above. Had some of his Tribe truly gone missing? He needed to go check and see if they may have managed to stay behind… He gave his tail fins a flick, and smiled a little as he lifted into the air. He felt heavy, but that would wear off. 

He turned to leave out the nearest open window, but paused. Should he get help? No, he couldn’t risk the lives of any land trolls bringing them down, especially if he wasn’t sure what to expect. No, he’d have to do this alone. He zipped out the window and made straight for the ocean. 

He needed to get back to Techno reef as fast as he could…

He gasped, stumbling in the air as he felt his track skip kick in for a moment. He came to a halt, staring down at himself. “Was that…” He made to dash in the air again, Track skip activating, but wearing him out. “So I can use it, but not fully… I’ll have to be careful…” He took off towards the water, now cautious not to mistakenly use Track skip again.

He kept as high in the sky as he was comfortable, knowing that with most of his color returned someone could easily identify him. He didn’t want anyone telling Barb or his friends where he’d gone… or his trolls. If they found out he might be doing something dangerous, right after what just happened… They might just vote to lock him in the castle for the rest of his life!

Once he made it to the water’s edge, he dove in, looking quickly for a current to carry him back to his home. That’s when he noticed something very strange. “What the… the waters still…” He pricked his ear fins up, closing his eyes in an attempt to find some kind of movement.

Nothing. Absolutely no movement from anything! It was almost like… His eyes snapped open. It was just like when the river in Symphonyville went still! He felt a presence behind him, and turned to face it.

He didn’t even have time to cry out as a beast seemingly formed of darkness leapt at him; catching him under its front claws and slamming him into the ocean floor below him.

The last thing he saw was a piercing red glow from the creature’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK! So I have to work on ref sheets for the... surprise coming in the next chapter! It's hopefully going to get everyone excited, cause me and Knifehappypshycho have been fleshing this out for a WHILE and I've been having SO much fun with it~. 
> 
> Course because of how much world building went into this, I may... need a few more chapters to tie everything together nicely. Sorry about that!


	27. The Abyss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex awakes at last after the attack on his way back home. He certainly could never prepare himself for what he finds when he wakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://sinnamon-bunnys.tumblr.com/post/619666110889017344/king-sheo-and-princess-myla-posting-here-ahead-of
> 
> Ok, so link should work, here's the art for the two new trolls!

Trollex was getting really, REALLY tired of waking up in strange places. So when he opened his eyes and found he was in an unfamiliar room, he let out a groan and closed his eyes again. He definitely didn’t want to deal with this…

That’s when he felt the scales on his arms crawl, and he sat up suddenly, feeling something watching him from the shadows. He scanned the room slowly, eyes narrowed as he thanked his ancestors for his ability to see in the dark.

As he scanned the stone walls around him, he realized that there was absolutely no natural light coming in from outside. The only light in the room was actually coming from him. He bit his lip a little, not much liking that fact. It meant that of everywhere in the world he could be, he must be under water… but he was dry as a bone.

Between this and the deep seeded fear he felt, he wanted to bolt! He moved to get out of bed, but winced as his head spun. When his hand went up to rub at the sore spot on the back of his head, his fingers froze as grazed against cloth. A bit more feeling around his head confirmed that his head had been bandaged.

That when he felt his scales crawl again, and he turned his gaze slowly to the nearby door frame. He was met with a pair of piercing red eyes. It was almost like he was under a spell. He wanted to look away, he wanted to run, or do anything, but he was trapped by the glow of the eyes. Until they blinked.

And he let out a shriek that would have shattered glass, where there any nearby.

That’s when he heard soft footfalls coming from the hall beyond, that’s when a vibrant red… troll? He had never seen one like this before. It had long wings like a dragon fly, which glittered as they caught the light from the torch they carried. The other seemed to have animal like legs, ending in stilt like feet, and a long tail tipped with feathers. Everything else seemed to be troll like, except… they had four arms…?

He blinked a bit, and realized something now that there was a source of natural light in the room. The glowing red eyes seemed to belong to some dog like beast formed of darkness. He let out a small squeak and shrunk in on himself.

The red troll seemed to be rather cross, looking Trollex over slowly, a gnarled wooden staff held in one hand, with a green crystal mounted on top. When the other troll tapped the bottom of the staff against the floor, the shadow creature stalked forward, eyes level with Trollex’s, despite the sheer size of it. He let out a small whimper and scooted back on the bed in an attempt to flee the creature and strange troll.

That’s when he heard a cheerful voice from the hall the red troll had come through. “Daaaaddyyyyy! Where are you? Do you have Fluffy with you? Wait, are you visiting the new troll? No fair! I wanted to meet him first!” That’s when the owner of the female voice poked her head into the room, and he saw that she was a dull, faded coppery red, with hair like blue fire. She had larger wings than the red troll, her tail whipping back and forth excitedly. “Oh gosh, he’s awake!”

He stared, rather shocked as the new troll bounced up to him, taking a hand in hers and shaking it. “Hi! I’m Princess Myla! It’s nice to finally meet you; we’ve been watching you for AGES!”

“Myla, enough!” Trollex jumped when he heard the red troll speak, and he quickly realized he was definitely a male. “Please, dear, calm down… You know he wasn’t supposed to be here for a long time yet…”

Myla, the copper troll sighed, releasing Trollex’s hand and turning back to the red troll, her father. “Yeah, I know dad, but he’s here now, right? There’s no way to get him back to his home, so why not introduce ourselves properly?”

That seemed to snap Trollex out of whatever spell he was under. He blinked, staring at the two trolls. “I-I’m sorry, but… where am I? And why can’t I get back home…?”

The red troll stepped forward. “My name is King Sheo of the dark Ambient trolls… and you’re in The Abyss, our home. We’ve been trapped here for generations, and have yet to find a way to leave… We are very sorry, King Trollex, but you’re trapped here now, just like us.”

To say Trollex needed time to process this was an understatement. He stared blankly at the trolls and creature of darkness standing in front of him, and he just couldn’t wrap his brain around what the king had just said. He rubbed at his head, a splitting headache starting to form.

Myla offered him a sympathetic look, moving to sit on the bed next to him. Sheo turned, his wings fluttering slightly as he made his way for the door. “Keep him company, Myla. I’ll go let your mother know he’s awake. Keep the Guardian in check, if you will.”

She nodded, waving off her father as he swept out of the room. Nearly the moment the king left the room, the shadowy creature seemed to evaporate, leaving behind little more than a puppy barely larger than Beat, which sat on the floor, tongue hanging out as it panted, clearly happy.

When she patted her lap, the dog bounded up happily, curling up in her lap and letting out a long yawn. Trollex stared at the now small creature. “H-How… what in… wha…?”

With a giggle, Myla began gently petting the shadow puppy. “This is the Guardian, or, that’s what my family tends to call him. He’s been called the Protector, the Beast…. But I call him Fluffy~”

Trollex just gave her a confused look, which caused her to blush a bit and look away, her wings drooping a little. “Not what you meant, right… Well, I think you used to call him ‘living darkness’ when you were on the outside.”

His eyes widened at that, staring between her and the creature. “How did you know about that?!”

Her hand paused in the fur of Fluffy, who looked up at her with a small whine. “We’ve been tasked with watching those on the outside that need help. Fluffy does that for us. He’s the only one able to leave the barrier, so he fetches us food, resources, and… and trolls. Any troll he sees on the outside that’s in danger, he brings them here… Or if he sees that trolls fate tied with ours, he brings them here as well…”

Trollex stared at the wall across the room from him. So if what she had just said was true, that means… “You guys KIDNAPPED me???”

She held up her hands, Fluffy sitting up in her lap and looking at him. “Hey, wait a sec; we didn’t do it on purpose. It was either you were in danger, or you needed to be here. Fluffy doesn’t make mistakes.”

“Why would I need to be here? Not like I can do anything, especially trapped here!” He perked up a bit when he heard Fluffy let out a soft whine, crawling from Myla’s lap to his own, before he curled up on his fins. He hesitated a moment before reaching down, petting the surprisingly soft fur. “He feels… warm…”

Myla smiled, then hopped off the bed, her wings buzzing for a moment as she stretched. She grinned back at him. “Well, no use sitting around mulling over what ifs. Let’s go explore!” She made her way out the room, Trollex scooping up Fluffy and holding him close as he followed after the strange Princess. Once they made it out of the room, he realized it was surprisingly well lit. There were pieces of glowing Coral like from his home, lamps stones like he’d seen in the Classical homes, and even some lit disks like Funk trolls used.

He was about to ask why there were different tribes items here, but his words died on his tongue when they passed by a window. He stared outside at the world spread out bellow him, and he couldn’t believe his eyes. He saw many trolls that looked similar to King Sheo and Princess Myla, but he also saw Classical, Funk, Rock, Pop, Country, and even Techno trolls roaming around!

He looked towards the Princess, who was giving him a cheeky grin. “Like what you see? Come on, let’s go see your Tribe, we have some here healing right now after your party a few nights ago.”

He was about to follow, but realized what she’d said. “Few nights…? No, wasn’t that… just the other night?”

“No, it’s been nearly a week since that rave. You were out cold for a while down here. We’ve all been worried sick! The first royal brought here in a while, and you’re a Rainbow troll descendant! How lucky are we~.”

“Ok, wait, hold up… take a few steps back here, alright? What exactly is going on, why am I here, and why is this lucky?”

She smiled. “My mom, Queen Vespa can explain. We can go see her after we check on your trolls. It’s been the largest group we’ve had at once in quite a while! We even managed to help the little Button fish that got caught up in it all.”

He stared at her a moment. “Beat…. Beat’s here?! Where, come on, let’s go!” He was practically vibrating now, and she giggled at his excitement.

She lifted her wings, and a soft buzzing filled the corridor as she lifted off the floor. “Come on, keep up, I’ll get us there quick!” She slipped past him, and dove out the window, her wings glinting as they caught the artificial lights scattered throughout the city.

He scrambled to follow, pulling himself out the window and chasing her through the air. He held Fluffy close, who seemed to be enjoying the flight through the air. While she was a bit faster than him in the air, she wasn’t nearly as fast as a Classical troll. He watched her wings buzzing, marveling at the small adjustments she made to the tilt of the wings or her tail to adjust her flight.

He blinked a bit as they arrived at a clearing, where several rather confused looking Techno trolls were gathered. As they got closer, he could recognize Coral Blush’s parents, as well as Beat. He gave his tail a strong flick, diving down into the crowd and grabbing Beat, pulling him into a hug as he righted himself. “BEAT! Guys! I’ve been worried sick! What happened??”

Every Techno troll was temporarily stunned when their king appeared from the sky, but they quickly recovered, starting a dog pile onto Trollex as they all cried out to him, asking where he’d been, if he knew what happened, or where they were.

He chuckled softly, He knew that he had a lot of explaining to do, but for now, he was just glad to see that those that had gone missing were alright. He looked down at Fluffy, who squirmed out of his arms and, to the shock of himself and the Techno trolls around him, soared up through the air and snuggled under Myla’s arm, who was flying just a short ways away, watching the reunion. She looked very out of place.

Trollex looked around to his trolls, who all seemed a little nervous around the Princess. He smiled softly and looked back up to her, waving her down to land with them. She hesitated a moment before nodding, landing next to Trollex and tucking her wings against her back. She looked like she was trying to make herself smaller.

Beat was watching her curiously, and once she landed, he jumped out of Trollex’s hug and floated around her head. She watched, a little nervous of the fish’s appraising eye. He paused when he heard a soft growl from Fluffy, which caused Beat to float closer to the shadow dog.

The two critters shared a look, before Beat grinned. “I like these two! They remind me a bit of you and I, Trollex!”

Myla smiled softly, looking at all the curious glowing trolls around her. “Welcome to the home of us Dark Ambient trolls, everyone…” She spread her four arms to gesture at the world around them. “Welcome to the Abyss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY EVERYONE FOR THE DELAY I'M TERRIBLE BUt as a consolation for taking so long, I hope you enjoy the art that comes with this page!


	28. A brief history

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex contemplates the dark world he's found himself in, and wishes desperately he could help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Queen Vespa https://sinnamon-bunnys.tumblr.com/post/619871652500684800/queen-vespa-of-the-dark-ambient-trolls

Trollex had settled into the flow of things down in the Abyss, home of the Dark Ambient trolls. It was strange, seeing random trolls from other tribes scattered amongst the natives here. Whenever he’d run onto one, he’d stop to have a chat, most mentioning that they either didn’t remember arriving, or had been here since they hatched. 

Those few that did remember, often said they had been in danger, about to be eaten or terribly injured, and then they woke up here, cared for and given refuge. 

None were all that upset about being unable to leave, save for most of the Techno trolls that had been brought en masse after the Pop troll rave at Techno reef. The Blush family was particularly distressed, isolating themselves in the place they were given. 

Trollex made a point of visiting them every day, reminding them that Coral Blush was fine, safe in the care of the Rock trolls. Of course, this didn’t lift their spirits any. 

It was after one particularly depressing visit that Trollex found himself floating near the barrier that kept them all within the Abyss, and everything else out. He stared out, seeing past the bubble out into the deep, dark ocean. 

When he was younger, he remembered feeling like the darkness was alive. Being here, staring out into the water, that sensation was never clearer than now. He floated closer to the barrier, reaching out to it. He felt like if he could push hard enough, he’d pop himself right through the bubble and out into the water.

He held his own hand back. He’d seen what happened when others tried to leave, even Myla couldn’t. She had just set her hand on it and it had given her a rather nasty looking shock. He pulled himself back, making his way towards the center of town once again. Honestly the territory here was so small. He was able to stand at one end of the bubble, and see clearly to the other if he went above the buildings. 

Once he was back at the center of town, he spotted two familiar figures, chatting with someone he didn’t recognize yet. He flew over, landing on his fins as he gave a small bow. “King Sheo, Princess Myla, it’s been a few days, hasn’t it now?”

Myla smiled brightly, giving a small curtsey with a flutter of her wings. “Yeah, I’m sorry Trollex, we needed to talk with my mother and see about a few family matters in the tunnels below. It’s safer if outside trolls don’t try to enter the tunnels, or I’d have invited you…”

He waved her concern off. “It’s alright Myla. But… do you mind if I ask who this is?” He gestured at the faded golden troll standing between the king and princess. 

She giggled, holding a hand out to gesture at the gold troll. “Trollex, this is my mum, the Queen of Dark Ambient, Queen Vespa.”

His eyes widened, and he bowed again, a bit deeper than he had before. “I-I’m sorry, Queen Vespa, I should have guessed…”

Vespa held up a hand, her wings set against her back. She was only slightly shorter than King Sheo, who he had noticed was a good deal taller than most of his tribe. She had soft fur on her chest like her daughter, her antennae longer than either of the two royals. She held herself with authority, clearly used to the role of ruler. “It is fine, King Trollex. I apologize for not having greeted you with my husband and daughter when you woke initially.”

Trollex smiled nervously. He could feel something strange about the queen. A tenseness that came from years of anxieties. Of course, she was a queen, so that was to be expected, but he had never gotten such a strong feeling before. 

The queen seemed to pick up on that. She stepped closer to him, her footfalls making no sound as she leaned in to inspect him. “Rainbow… A true descendant of the original… They did not lie…”

In a panic, Trollex pushed himself off the ground and hovered, coming to eye level with the queen. “P-Pardon me, Queen Vespa, but… what are you talking about?”

Even Myla and Sheo seemed confused, giving each quizzical looks. All gathered jumped when the queen suddenly snapped her wings open and lifted off the ground. That was when Trollex noticed that her wings were the largest he had seen here yet. “Come, I will tell you in my family home.” She offered a sweet smile. “There is no need to fear, now, come along.” And with that, she was off.

He hesitated a moment, watching as Sheo took off to follow his wife, Myla leaping into the air shortly afterwards. She gave him a confused shrug and zipped off after her parents. He followed behind, glad that while they were quick fliers, he could match their speed. 

Once the queen set down, he had to pause in the air to marvel at the structure ahead. It looked positively ANTIENT! Despite the old nature of the building, it looked to be in a perfect state of repair. When he flew through the main door, he glanced around. It was surprisingly modest, given they were the royals. It was clear that the palace once glittered like a jewel, but many of the slots that once held precious gems were now empty.

They made their way through the castle, the royal family having opted for walking, with Trollex floating quietly behind them. He paused as they passed by a hall, staring in disbelief at what he saw. “W-Wait, guys? Where did the hallway go?” Where he was sure was once a hallway, it abruptly ended a few feet in, filled with what appeared to be hardened lava. But that was impossible! There was at least a few hours free swimming between Techno reef and the only volcano in the land, and he was positive they were further out than that. 

Myla poked her head down the hallway, and shrugged. “One of the halls lost to the disaster. Back when our home was connected to land on the surface, the volcano erupted and… well, it destroyed most of our home. At least that’s what the ancient texts said.”

His eyes sparkled, remembering what he and Branch had discussed. “How old are your history books? How far back have you recorded? Before the strings…?”

That seemed to catch the attention of the king and queen, but Myla just gave him a curious look. “Strings…?”

His jaw dropped, and he stared at her in disbelief. “So… it’s true then, a tribe lost before the time of the strings…” He looked back towards the frozen lava flow. “If Branch were here, he could make sense of this…”

Vespa stepped forward, setting a gentle hand on Trollex’s arm, causing him to jolt slightly. “Come, we may be able to clear up some of your questions, even without your stick here.”

Trollex was about to respond, but the queens wording gave him pause. “I… my stick…? Oh! You mean Branch? No, he’s a pop troll. A really smart one, too.”

She blinked a bit, then smiled again. “Be that as it may, unless we send the Guardian out, we cannot speak with him. To my knowledge only Critters and the Guardian can come and go freely. Sadly, we have no critters that call this place home. The Guardian seems to prefer not bringing them, and if they do come in, they leave before we can speak with any.”

He stared at her, then pointed up at his hair, where Beat had been sleeping. He had refused to leave Trollex’s side, and he felt more comfortable with his little buddy close at hand. “Beat’s a critter, could he leave?”

Vespa smiled brightly, looking into Trollex’s hair. “Oh, if he is indeed a critter, he can leave. The Guardian could even take him anywhere in the world he wishes to go, so travel time would be very short.”

He nodded, reaching a hand into his hair and gently patting Beat’s head to wake him. “Beat, can you come out and give me a hand?”

With a yawn and a groggy nod, Beat slipped out of Trollex’s hair. “I would man, but I got none. Will a fin do?” 

Trollex laughed softly at the joke, and nodded. “Willing to make a trip to the surface to let everyone know what’s going on?”

Beat tilted a bit. “I thought we couldn’t leave? Did you figure out how to get home?”

“Only you, lil’ buddy. Turns out critters can come and go freely. So what do you say?”

He did a little flip in the air. “I say, what are we waiting for!”

Vespa took a step forward. “I think that perhaps we should discuss what should be said before sending you out. We would like to share what we can with the outside world, while we have a chance. It’s possible that this is the chance our ancestors have been waiting for…”

Beat and Trollex both looked at the queen quizzically. “What are you talking about, lady?” Trollex nearly swatted Beat out of the air. Myla turned away, racing up the hall in an attempt to hide her giggling. 

Vespa puffed up indignantly, before sighing and deflating again. “Just… come along. I will explain.” And with that, she swept off down the corridor after her daughter, her footfalls just barely audible.

When they eventually made it to a rather large sitting room, with a map table in the centre, they each took a chair around the table. Vespa gestured to the map. “Can you tell us what has changed? We haven’t been able to update our maps since we were first trapped. Those trolls that come to us are often not well versed in the world. Almost as though they didn’t know any other tribes existed to begin with…”

Trollex blushed, rubbing at the grey scales on his wrist, the ones that used to be a bright green. “Well, uh… that’s not that far off, actually. After Pop tried to steal all of our strings, we all split up and that was that…”

Myla arched a brow curiously. “You mentioned these strings before, but… what’s so important about them?”

He hummed softly. “I guess nothing now, since they’re gone. But since our recorded history started, the trolls used to live in silence. Until one discovered music. They came together to make six strings, one for each major Genre of music at the time. There was Pop, Country, Funk, Rock, Classical, and Techno. It was peaceful at first, but then Pop tried to steal the strings for themselves… The elders decided enough was enough, and stole their respective strings back, and we lived isolated since then… Until recently, anyway.”

Vespa gave a small nod. “That makes some sense, based on the information we do have.” She looked down at the map, pointing to a landmass connected to what Trollex knew as Volcano rock city. He tilted his head slightly. “This is our home, or, was before the disaster that buried us.”

Trollex had to lift himself into the air to get a proper bird’s eye view of the large table. He pointed to each territory in turn. “”This is where Pop village is now. The Funk trolls live in a UFO over the glitter desert here. The Country trolls live between the desert and the mountains, along this stream. Classical lives in the mountains. Rock lives in Volcano rock city, and we live here, in Techno reef.”

Vespa set little colored pins into each territory he pointed out, then nodded. “They really did scatter to the winds. How sad… What of the world now? You had said the strings are gone now, yes?”

He nodded. “Yeah, just recently as a matter of fact. The current queen of Rock tried to steal all the strings, which had the power to turn anyone she attacked into a Rock zombie…” He visibly shuddered at the memory, curling up slightly. After a moment he recovered. “But surprisingly, it was the current king and queen of Pop that saved everyone… go figure, huh? I asked Queen Barb though, she doesn’t even know how she knew the strings could do that…”

That gave the queen pause, staring up at Trollex. “She didn’t know? Perhaps it was an outside force influencing her… Or perhaps it was fate playing her hand at last…” She smiled softly. “Trollex, you’ve told us much of your world, now let me tell you of ours, limited as it may be.”

“In the past, when we lived on the surface, there was no such thing as the strings. However it wasn’t silent as your ancestors claimed. No, the world was full of light and music and color. We all played, sang, and danced together in those days, or so the ancient texts claim. None recall what our ancestors looked like, as our current appearance is thanks to many generations of mingling with those brought here.”

Trollex perked up at that, looking between the three. “You’re ALL mixed with other tribes?”

Myla nodded, holding up her hand. “Yup! I’m Dark Ambient, yes, but I also have strong ties to Classic and rock!”

Sheo set a hand on his chest. “She gets the rock from me. I also have some prominent Country troll in me.”

Vespa gave a small bow of her head. “And I am descendant from Classical and Funk.”

He stared between the three, never having imagined the tribes could mix like this. Let alone on such a mass scale! “This is… it’s so cool! I didn’t think… wow…” He rubbed the back of his head. “Far as I can trace back, I’m pure Techno. I don’t think anyone on the surface is a mix… we have some Trans genre, of course, but no mixing… yet anyway.”

The queen smiled. “I know a lineage you take from, just by looking at you. Rainbow troll.”

He perked up a little. “Well, I mean yeah, I’m colorful, but the only rainbow troll we know about is from a little trolls’ story. I didn’t think it would actually make a difference, or that they were a tribe of their own.”

“They weren’t, and that is what made them so unique. They were able to easily adapt and change their music, able to take on traits from any music they wished… They were powerful, especially when you consider how rarely they were hatched to any tribe. One of our earliest ancestors was a rainbow troll, but… he angered the clouds, and as such had his colors taken away from him…”

He sagged a little. That didn’t sound at all like what happened in the story… “Wait, that can’t be right… In our story, the little rainbow troll asked the rainbow to take his color, so he wouldn’t be so different from the others.”

“In your experience, Trollex, have clouds and their ilk been a benevolent bunch?” Vespa gave him a knowing look when she saw his face fall a bit. 

She was right, he had been introduced to Cloud guy by Branch, and… he didn’t seem like quite the nicest guy. “Ok, alright, you got me there… what happened after that then?”

“When our ancestor had his color taken, the other trolls banded together, giving them each a small aspect of themselves. Something that meant more to them than anything else they had. They shared their music with him.”

His eyes widened, and he looked down at his missing green, and all the other colors on his arms. “That’s… that’s what we’ve been missing! That’s it! That’s why it was music…!” He did an excited flip in the air. “That’s why I got my colors back with the music! Haha!!” 

Myla snickered softly, leaning closer to her father to whisper to him. “Awfully excited, isn’t he?”

Her father snickered softly, which earned them both glares from the Queen. She then returned her attention to Trollex. “However, it seems your journey is not yet complete, young king.”

He paused at that, glancing down at the queen. “You mean my green?”

Vespa stood, brushing her clothes off and settling them correctly. “Yes. I believe it’s time we share our music with you, Trollex. If I am right, this should return to you your green.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WEEEE HAAA! 30 Chapters ya'll! I have a feeling some of you vanished when I posted the last chapter. I know, oc stuff is a sensitive topic with fanfic, and I kinda sprung it up. Sorry if I upset anyone. But, I'm still going to keep writing for those of you still here!
> 
> EDIT: -glares at AO3- Mind tellin me how the heck you messed me up so bad yesterday with this 30 stuff???? Alright, so it's come to my attention that I wasn't, infact, on chapter 30. Somehow AO3 just decided to tell me I posted 30 chapters? Idk, but anyway I think I got it fixed...?


	29. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex reflects on those he met, and what he'd been through. He's gotten his confidence back, and now it's time to get his green and save a whole tribe! Hopefully he's up to it.

Trollex had plenty to think about now. Beat had left with Fluffy, or the Guardian as queen Vespa always called him, to go and inform the other Troll tribe leaders of the current situation.

He had found himself once again staring out at the dark ocean that surrounded them, this time taking up a position on a rock spire near the center of town. The royals had told him that he might well be the key to their freedom, but he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. 

He closed his eyes, remembering the words Vespa had used. “From what my ancestors told me of our legends, it states that ‘the light must face the darkness, shining bright with the worlds color’, though that is, admittedly, not a definitive wording… But something tells me that there was no mistake made when the Guardian brought you to us.”

He let out a groan, flopping onto his back and staring up. The view was the same. He closed his eyes, letting his mind drift to better sort his thoughts out. 

He didn’t feel like he was some big savior of an entire tribe. Heck, thanks to him, he nearly LOST his whole tribe…. Twice! He gently laid his hand over his heart, focusing on the gentle, rhythmic pulsing.

He thought back on his journey thus far. He had felt so lost and alone when he lost his color. He still wasn’t entirely sure what pushed him to go to the Pop trolls in the first place. Maybe it was Beat, trying to encourage him? Maybe it was his sense of duty to his trolls? 

He definitely didn’t regret that first step in his journey. Pop troll village had been nice to visit. It was upbeat, and everyone was extremely friendly. It was hard to believe they nearly got eaten only a bit ago. He wondered what Poppy and Branch were up to, or if Beat had made it with his message?

He could imagine Poppy getting all excited about the discovery of a new tribe, while Branch poured over his books to find a way to help them out. He chuckled softly, the king and queen of pop appearing to his mind’s eye. They were like an older brother and sister, good to talk to and ready to help.

His mind wandered further along his journey, when Cooper had ‘kidnapped’ him to Vibe city. He missed Cooper’s lax attitude, and was still trying to figure out what the Funk troll meant whenever he talked about how he ‘sounded’. He hoped he got a chance to ask… He felt his heart tighten a bit as he remembered what he had done to Essence and Quincy. He had been so defensive towards them, and hadn’t accepted their affection for him. 

He smiled. He still had a hard time believing they wanted him as a part of their family… it felt nice, like he belonged to something special. Sure, he belonged to the Techno troll tribe, but that was a big thing, often stressful. He could unwind with the Funky family, which was something he needed desperately right now.

Delta would probably know what to do better. She had figured out a few things about his missing colors he hadn’t even thought of. It wasn’t just the music; it was the feelings and emotions behind it. He missed Lonesome flats, even if it was a bit too hot for him. He could still feel tenseness and stinging pain in his shoulder from his injury, and absently noted he may be stuck with it now.

Even now, he still feared Delta’s wrath. He wasn’t surprised the Country leader had a soft side to her; he believed everyone did, but he was surprised she let him of all trolls see it. He remembered Hickory as well; the Country troll that helped him put his arm back in place. He seemed like a rather kind troll, willing to help someone he didn’t know.

He remembered Trollzart to, how kind he was. Knowing another troll leader that was an odd age gave him a bit of comfort, though he knew Trollzart was close to retiring. He remembered Bach to, the troll he’d first met at Symphonyville. He wondered what the Classical trolls were up to now.

Probably hosting a new group of trolls, seeing how eager the trolls had been to open their gates to the rest of the world. He had been shocked just how similar their two tribes had in common. Both able to fly and swim, but obviously better in their respective elements. 

Barb was probably freaking out, since she seemed to be the only other leader with any connection to the darkness. It was that, or the Guardian had tried to take him then, and she was nearly collateral. He was happy he had gotten to stay for the concert though. He remembered the sheer rush of adrenalin the rock music gave him!

He could still feel the rock music in his heart. He smiled, remembering all the different songs and genre’s he’d taken into himself on his journey. He may be a Techno troll, but he was so, so much more now. He could feel a bit of every tribe here with him, be it memories, music, or their love. 

He opened his eyes, and smiled up at the darkness above him. “I don’t think I’m so scared anymore… Mom, dad, if you can see me even here, so deep under the water, I hope I can help these trolls. I really… I really feel like that’s why I’m here. There’s something I need to do, so please… protect me.”

He waited for a few more minutes in silence. He hadn’t expected any kind of response, but it felt good to talk to them again, even if they couldn’t actually hear him. He had enough time to think now; his thoughts felt less like a tornado, and more like a gentle spring storm. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, and then pushed off of the rock spire. 

He decided that while the royal family was preparing… whatever was needed for their music, he’d go and visit the Blush family. As he made his way towards the family’s temporary dwelling, he saw that the lights were off; despite the fact that he knew it was midday. It seemed that the Dark Ambient trolls had the same internal clock as Techno trolls. He wondered if maybe that was something they got from mixing with Techno in the past?

He figured he’d knock on the door anyway, hovering in front of it as he rapped on it lightly with his knuckles. He waited for a bit, humming a tune he swore he could hear, just a soft tune, no lyrics, and a little strange, but… it was nice none the less. 

After a few minutes of waiting and zoning out, he sighed, reaching out to knock again. He paused when he saw a flash of green to his right. He glanced over to see the Blush family, who seemed so very drained. He bit his lip a little before putting on a soft smile, making his way to them.

“Hey, Blushes. How are you two doing?” He paused a bit when their eyes met his, and he could almost feel their pain in their gaze. He sighed softly, rubbing the back of his head. “Listen, you two, I have a bit of an update… Do you want to hear it?”

Anemone sighed, looking back down to the ground. Atoll gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. “What is it, Trollex…?” He tried not to visibly wince. They sounded dead in the water….

“Well, I learned today that Beat can come and go freely, but only him… I sent him to the surface with a message for the trolls up there. He’ll tell Coral that everything is fine, and come back with updates on the tyke.”

While he had hoped that would cheer the couple up, it just seemed to weigh heavier on them. Anemone sniffled softly, rubbing at her eyes. “We appreciate it, Trollex… But until we can hold our baby boy in our arms again, I don’t think anything will help…” They moved on past him, making their way into the dark home. They never turned on the lights.

Trollex sighed, rubbing at the back of his head. He knew that while it was true, all the Techno trolls that were brought here were having a hard time, but the Blush family was broken. 

He took a deep breath, and steeled his nerves. He needed to figure this out. He needed to get EVERYONE to the surface. He had to at least try! He zipped off to find the royal family. Last he heard, they needed to head down into the cave systems for something. He gave his tail a flick and darted off towards one of the guarded gates to the tunnels bellow. He could most likely sneak past the guards. 

He hoped, at least. 

As he made it to the nearest tunnel, he slowed to a near stop, looking down towards a set of guards, The two standing at the entrance to the tunnel were male, while the one chatting to them was a female. He tilted his head a bit and zipped a little closer, hiding behind a rock outcrop to listen. 

The female Dark Ambient troll rubbed at the bridge of her nose, clearly agitated. “Look, yes, I get it, alright? You guys got a job to do, but so do I! I can’t round up a group of rowdy teen trolls on my own! Especially when they’re Classical decent.” Her wings were buzzing in agitation. “All I’m asking for is you guys to come lend me a hand. They’re testing their bravery at the barrier… again. Something about the ‘barrier challenge’….ugh, kids today…”

One of the male guards, a timid looking green one, held his spear to his chest. “I don’t know, lady Dryya, We’re not supposed to leave our posts with all those new Techno trolls…”

The female, Dryya, groaned loudly. “Ya ya, I know. But have you seen them? They’re so depressed, poor Peter has been having trouble keeping up with the lot of them. None of them even leave their homes, save for their king. And he’s been told by the royal family to stay out of the lower levels!”

Trollex felt a knot of anxiety form in his stomach. He was about to try to do exactly what that guard said he wouldn’t do. He felt terrible about this, but he needed to go talk to them!

He could see the two guards hesitate, the logic of the argument clearly winning them over. The other male, a bright baby blue, sighed. “Alright, alright… We’ll come help. I’ve heard of the barrier challenge, and the first aid bay is always fuller when it comes back around.” The three spread their wings and buzzed off into the air, causing Trollex to duck behind the rock a moment as they passed. 

When he heard the buzzing die off completely, he poked his head back out. When he saw no one was around, he took a deep breath and zipped forward to the tunnel, slipping into it.

It wasn’t narrow by any means. Floating straight through it, he could extend his arms to wither side and touch the walls with his fingertips. The height was normal walking height. The tunnels were made of roughhewn rock, which eventually tapered off to looking more naturally formed.

As he made his way deeper, he began to realize even HE was having issues seeing. He wondered how in the six troll kingdoms—correction, seven—the royals could see down here! He ended up bumping his face into a few suddenly appearing walls. 

After about a dozen of these collisions, he had a few scratches on his face, especially where his nose ought to be. After a while of searching, taking random paths as he found them, he realized just WHY this was a bad idea… the tunnels were a natural maze system, and without a guide or any knowledge of the place, there was no way he could find his way out…

That’s when he heard a voice coming from a nearby tunnel. He perked up, ear fins standing up to catch the sound better. Was that...

“I’m telling you mom, I can hear someone down this way!” It was Princess Myla!

“I highly doubt that dear, I had guards posted to keep any wandering trolls out.” 

As they turned the corner and came face to face with Trollex, they both winced from the light of his body. “Wha…. Trollex?! What are you DOING down here?” She whisper yelled, glaring at him.

Vespa, while she didn’t say anything, looked about ready to KILL the young king of Techno. He shrunk under their gaze, looking sheepish. “Er, hey there guys. I just, uh… wanted to um…” He wilted more under their gaze, scrambling out of the way as Vespa swept past him. 

After a few steps, she stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “Come. We’re guiding you back to the surface.” 

The cold and even tone she used left no room for argument or debate, so he just hung his head and floated behind her, Myla taking up the rear. After a few minutes of terrible silence, he poked his fingers together. “So I—“

Vespa glared daggers at him, causing him to cover his mouth and let out a small squeak. Once they made it back out of the tunnels and into the glow of the corals and other light sources, they came face to face with the three from before, the two males looking both terrified and shocked. The female, Dryya, looked LIVID. Comparable to Vespa even. 

The queen spread her wings, preparing to take off. “Dryya, please take Trollex to his home and stay with him. I think this is a case where the boy needs to be grounded.”

Myla and Trollex both looked shocked at that, Trollex absolutely floored. He’d gone years without grounding, and suddenly he got grounded twice in a month! He looked between the queen, who refused to look back at him as she lifted off, and then at Dryya, who was giving him a look that caused him to shrink in on himself a bit, letting out a soft whimper.

The Princess took off after her mom, giving Trollex a headshake and a sigh. Dryya stepped up to the young king, causing him to shrink a bit more. He REALLY missed Beat right now…

Dryya stepped forward, standing taller than most of the rest of her tribe, nearly comparable to king Sheo. That, or it was just because she looked genuinely angry at him. “Follow me, king Trollex.” And so she turned and walked off, not checking if the king was following. He wasn’t inclined to get on this ones nerves, and followed at a respectable distance.

He had a feeling he wouldn’t be allowed out for a long while…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting so close now, I'm vibrating! So, today we have a guest appearence by Dryya, a lovely DA troll designed by Knifehappy psycho! SO far I got two others to work in, and if there are any others, I will have more stories after this one concludes, so feel free to keep up making designs! I love seeing people passionate about things like this~ 
> 
> Here's a link to the picture of Dryya!  
> https://knifehappypsycho.tumblr.com/post/620151891513507840/ok-so-round-two-of-this-this-is-the-guard


	30. Let music be your guide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trollex get's a chance to meet a few more trolls before he at last gets his green back!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Notes at the begining, because the song for this chapter is a long one. And I recomend listening to it as you read. It's Show us our homes, by Eluvium, and it is fantastic! 
> 
> Also! On Tumblr, I have a vote going on for the next major story. Options are
> 
> 1 - Troll dragons AU  
> 2 - Steven universe trolls AU  
> 3 - Gravity falls Trolls Au  
> 4 - I do small prompts from you guys for a while till I can flesh out a bit more of a story for the others.

Trollex lounged on his bed in the place the royals had put him up in, staring at the ceiling. His only permitted visitor was Beat, who was still out reporting the current situation to the trolls on the surface. Thanks to that, he was currently alone with no hope of anything to break the silence.

Well, not quite silence really. Ever since he had gotten here, he’d been either near other trolls, or things that made sound. Even when he was alone near the barrier he could hear a faint hum from it. But right now, in what should have been complete silence, he could hear a faint melody. He couldn’t place it, but he knew it was there.

He closed his eyes, trying this best to focus on it. It seemed though that whenever he grabbed for it with his consciousness, it would slip. He groaned, sitting up and trying harder to focus on it. He was about to pin it, he was sure!

That’s when the door slammed open, and Dryya stepped inside, he yelped and hid beneath his covers, poking his head out just enough to see her. 

Dryya was an intimidating figure, even without her crab claw blades. Her softer brown coloration offset by the darker brown patterning all along her body. Her tail was swishing back and forth angrily, glaring the young king down with her piercing dark eyes.

She stepped forward, setting a bowl of soup on the night stand. “Eat.”

He glanced at the soup, then up at her curiously. He had heard clattering coming from the kitchen earlier, so… “Did… you make this for me?”

Her wings twitched slightly and she looked away. “Well, Techno trolls don’t really cook much, and you looked like you were hungry. It’s just soup, eat.”

Trollex had to admit he was hungry… he took up the bowl and spoon, scooping some up and blowing on it a few times. When he sipped at it, his eyes sparkled. It was really good! He ate a few hasty spoonful’s, they yelped, nearly dropping the soup when he burnt his tongue. “H-Hot!” He stuck his tongue out a bit, fanning at it with the hand holding the spoon.

Dryya gave him a curious look, a small smile pulling at her cheeks. “Maybe slow down a bit then, King Trollex.”

He nodded a bit, offering a sheepish smile. “Sorry… but it’s just really, really good! What is it?”

He didn’t miss the light blush dusting her cheeks as she looked away. “Clam chowder, really easy to make… I figured you’d like it, most Techno trolls do.”

He nodded, taking another spoonful after blowing on it. As he enjoyed his soup, they sat in companionable silence, Dryya staring out a nearby window as he looked her over, able to see her much more clearly now that she was sitting still, and so close to him. 

He could tell she didn’t smile much, and he had a feeling that was connected to her torn wing and the scar on her lower left arm. He couldn’t help staring at it, wondering just what might have happened to her…

That’s when she suddenly pulled her arm back, and he realized she was glaring at him. “You mind?”

He gulped a bit. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable… It’s just… You’re always very serious; don’t you ever let yourself smile? Or have fun?”

She smirked a bit, but there wasn’t any mirth behind it. “Sometimes, but only with people I can trust. I’m head guard; I have to keep trolls in check, both the citizens and the other guards. And trust me, that’s a full time job with a tribe locked in a bubble under water for centuries.”

His eyes widened a bit. He hadn’t thought of it that way… He’d been going stir crazy, and he’d only been here a week. She was born and raised here, her only access to the outside world being those trolls brought here from outside. “I… I’m sorry; I hadn’t realized just how tough it must be for you all down here…”

She shrugged her shoulders slightly. “You trolls outside don’t know about us until you’re here, and it’s too late by that point. Not that anything can be done from outside anyway. From what I got from the queen, you’re important. It’s why we’re trying to keep you in check.” She sighed. “You’ve been told by the royal family to stay out of the tunnels, we have cave in’s almost constantly, but we can sense where they’re going to happen.” She wiggled her antennae a bit. 

He stared at the wiggling appendages. “Wait, really? That’s so cool!” He wiggled his ear fins, as though to copy her movements.

She arched a brow as she stared at his wiggling ear fins. “You really are a strange one, king Trollex…”

He smiled a bit. “You know, you don’t have to keep up my title, I’m not a king here. Heck, if I can’t get back home, I’ll never be a king again…”

He looked down into the nearly empty soup bowl. He hadn’t really thought about that. Or, well, he hadn’t put it out into the world until now. From the start of this journey he had been trying to figure out a way to give his Trolls a new ruler, and… he supposed if he stayed here, that’s exactly what would happen. Those remaining would choose a new ruler…

He felt his stomach knot up. He couldn’t let that happen! He wouldn’t leave his tribe high and dry to make such a hard choice. He was going to get everyone out of here! He set his bowl down on the end table and looked towards Dryya, who perked up a bit at his serious expression. He looked like a true king right now. 

“Dryya, I’m going to free you. All of you. No more bubble, no more darkness…” He smiled. “We’re going home.”

Dryya knew she shouldn’t get her hopes up, but… for some reason, despite his age… or perhaps that wasn’t ever a factor to Trollex; she truly believed he could do it. She stood, offering a small bow to him. “If it helps my tribe and those here, I’ll do what I can to help you.”

He grinned widely and zipped out of the bed, spinning around the room. “Yeah! Let’s get my green back and get you all out of here!” 

He moved to head out the door, but was stopped by Dryya, who looked distinctly amused. “Mice try, your highness, but you’re not done time out yet. The princess is supposed to send someone to fetch us once they’re ready for the concert.”

He tilted his head a bit, lowering slightly in the air. “Concert? I’ve been meaning to ask you… You say you’re Dark Ambient trolls, and I assume that’s your music, but… what’s it like?”

She perked up a bit. “Well… How to describe it… it’s… Hmm…”

It was rather clear that their music wasn’t something one could easily put into words. He smiled. “Maybe we should keep it a surprise? I probably don’t have long to wait anyway~. Oh! But, your tempo isn’t really slow or fast, right?”

She shook her head. “No, don’t worry about that. We make sure we can accommodate your unique biology.”

He sighed, relieved to hear that. Then he perked up, his ear fins standing upright. “Um, wait, how did you know about that? The Techno trolls don’t, all but me anyway… though I probably will still need to explain that whole fiasco with the Pop party…”

“Wait, so you guys don’t tell your own trolls they could get seriously hurt with the wrong types of music…? That seems a little…. Strange to me. Wouldn’t it be better for all of them to know?”

He looked down, thinking it over. “You know… I actually have no idea? My parents told me it was a family secret and I just…. Kept it that way, I guess? I’ll probably stop that rule though; having others know is a lot safer, especially with the tribes mingling so much now.”

He closed his eyes, wondering just how he was going to address that problem, when he heard a knock on the door. He perked up a bit, looking over Dryya’s shoulder towards the front of the house. “Who’s here?”

Dryya held a finger to her mouth, indicating Trollex to be quiet. He nodded, slipping out of site to hide behind a wall. She didn’t think that there was anyone dangerous, but it didn’t hurt to be cautious. She made her way to the door, glancing over to make sure her claw blades were nearby before she opened it. 

She was shocked to find Peter standing at the door. She knew the troll well, often helping him out with his task of aiding the new trolls. He panted softly, one set of hands on his knees to brace himself, one hand on the wall, and the other on his chest. “Pete, what’s wrong? Did something go wrong with one of the new Techno trolls?”

He shook his head, finally catching his breath as he stood straight again. “N-No, everyone is fine… save for the Blushe’s, but I hardly blame them… But that’s not why I’m here! Myla asked me to come get you and the king… it’s time!”

Trollex poked his head out at that, and got a good look at the owner of the new, soft voice. He was a bright teal color, with fiery red wings and deep blue hair. “Wait, really?”

Pete let out a small shriek, nearly jumping out of his skin when he heard Trollex speak. He clutched at his chest, trying to regain his breathing again. “Y-Yes… and please don’t startle me like that!” He sighed, lowering his hands again. “Myla wants you to head there now, Dryya; she said she had a few things to talk with you about beforehand.”

The warrior nodded, grabbing her claw blades and strapping them to her back. She looked back towards Trollex. “I’ll see you soon, your majesty. And I hope, for all of our sakes, you can pull this off.” She offered a smile, and stepped passed Pete, who watched her take off before stepping inside and closing the door.

That’s when Trollex floated out of the room, smiling and offering a hand. “Hi! It’s nice to meet you… Pete, was it? I’m Trollex, but you know that already.”

Pete smiled softly and nodded, taking the offered hand. “Yeah, it’s good to finally meet you… sorry I didn’t come to you right away, but of all your trolls, you seemed the most stable…”

“Stable? What do you mean by that?” Trollex tilted his head slightly.

“Oh! Well, most trolls that end up here aren’t too happy about it at first… and so, it’s my job as a guide of sorts to make them feel welcome, and get them what I can to make them feel better. I’ve been working with the Blush family the most, but… without their son; I don’t think there’s anything I can do…” He sighed, his wings and antennae drooping.

Trollex offered the other a sweet smile. “You’ve been doing that for my trolls…? Thank you, I really appreciate it. You’ve all been so nice to us…” He grinned wide, puffing his chest. “That’s why I’m determined to get us all out!”

“Wait, really? You can do that…? I heard rumors something big was happening, but… OH! The concert! I forgot… oh no! We have to hurry, follow me, please!” He turned and ran out the door, snapping his wings open and taking off quickly. Trollex wasn’t far behind, using track skip to catch up properly. 

As they made their way through the air, Trollex’s eyes widened. As they approached a large clearing, he could see just about every single troll within the Abyss gathered, which made for a messy sea of colors and sparkles. His tribe had always been colorful, but they often grouped up for parties based on color, but this… it was chaos!

And he loved it!

He spotted the royal family standing on a stage with Dryya, who gave a small bow before flying towards the back of the crowd. They touched down a few moments later, Trollex bowing his head slightly as he approached the royals. “Sorry for sneaking into the tunnels before, I just really needed to talk with you guys.”

Vespa offered a small smile. “It is alright king Trollex; I must apologize as well… I perhaps over-reacted…”

Myla looked at her mother, completely shocked. “Mom? You NEVER apologize!”

This earned her a light flick of her antennae from her mother, who looked cross. “Mind your elders dear, respect is a royal’s most valuable asset.”

Trollex looked between the two, then spotted Sheo covering his mouth, clearly trying his best not to laugh at his family. He grinned widely, and giggled a bit. They reminded him of his new family on the surface, making him a bit home sick.

Myla huffed, crossing her arms before looking up to address Peter, who was still hovering in the air. “That’s Pete! I appreciate you going to grab him. Now, go enjoy the music!”

Peter, who had a soft blue glow about his cheeks, gave a bow and a nod. “A-Alright, Myla. I can’t wait to hear it!” And he zipped off to join the crowd, though he put himself more towards the outer edge.

The young king was abuzz with excitement. He’d get to hear a new Genre other trolls didn’t even KNOW about outside of the Abyss! 

Myla, Sheo, and Vespa each pulled out an instrument, and each was so different from the other. 

Myla seemed to have some sort of keyboard synthesizer, which she took a moment to adjust some of the dials and setting for the song they planned.

Sheo held a style of electric guitar, which he tuned and strummed a few times to make sure it was set right.

Vespa stood with a sound mix board, similar to the critters he used for his music. He was a bit surprised to see such a variation of instruments between them.

They each looked at each other, and nodded before they began.

The song that they made was indescribable… He could already feel it starting to carry him away, and he let his eyes shut, his body flowing along with the music, as though carried by it.

As he drifted through the air, he could feel something pulling him, tugging him along an invisible path only he could feel in his heart. He could feel something within his heart, a song that had always been there, right from the start. Something that had always accompanied him, was always there if he felt lonely. Something he had never had a word.

He could feel the tribes love in their music. He could feel everything. He could even feel those outside the barrier, those he had left on the surface. His friends and family, his tribe, he felt connected to everything, if even just faintly.

And he could feel something approaching. He opened his eyes, and found that he was high up above the crowd, half way between them and the barriers apex. 

He looked down at himself, and grinned widely. His heart was glowing bright green, sending pulses of light through his body as it returned color to the last of his gray. He pulled a summersault in the air, feeling whole again at last.

He suddenly felt a sharp tug on his awareness, calling his attention up. As his eyes locked on the sky above him, a swirling darkness formed in the still air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AT LAST CHAPTER 30 IS UP


	31. Take the plunge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reckless decision leaves the Abyss silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;3c

Trollex stared up at the swirling darkness formed above his head, a feeling of both dread and calm washing over him from the epicenter. He held out his hands, though he wasn’t entirely sure why. That’s when he got quite the surprise. Out of the center of the swirling darkness fell Beat, who was yelling as he plummeted. Clearly he had just come from water, as his Flow hadn’t kicked in yet. Trollex caught him gently and grinned down at his friend. “Nice of you to drop in, Beat!”

Beat shook himself out a bit, then looked up at Trollex. After he took a moment to register, he gasped sharply. “Trollex… you’re back! You’ve got all your color back!” He tried to lift himself out of the others hands, but failed. “Darn it… Can’t float yet! Wait, where is—“ 

Both Trollex and Beat stared upwards as they heard a yelling sound, and the young kings eyes widened when he spotted a familiar young green Techno troll. “Coral?!” He used one hand to hug Beat to his chest, lunging forward to catch Coral. 

As soon as he had Coral in his arms, he sighed, clinging to both of them. “Man, you guys are crazy…” He jolted slightly as he felt a weight fall on his head, and he glanced up to see the Guardian, in its small, fluffy puppy form. He grinned wide. “Thanks for the help, Fluffy.” It gave a toothy grin, licking his forehead. 

It didn’t take long for those with wings to fly up and see what had happened. Most of the Dark Ambient trolls hovered around him, cheering happily. The Techno trolls seemed to be crying in joy, but he noticed that there was one face in the crowd he couldn’t see, the young looking Ambient troll named Peter. He chocked it up to him being lost in the crowd, despite being one of the few with the bright teal coloration.

He looked down at the now squirming Coral in his hand, who was trying to wrap his arms around Trollex’s neck. The young king relented and allowed Coral to give him a hug. He laughed softly, snuggling the two. He was glad to have Beat back, and getting Coral was…. Unexpected, but not unwanted. He knew the Blush family would be ecstatic.

“CORAL!” The three jumped a little, and watched as the crowd around them parted to show Peter hovering in the air, the Blush family next to him as they stared, watery eyed, at their young king and their son. 

Atoll swallowed thickly, drifting forward slightly as he reached out to him. “Coral, is it really you…?”

Anemone covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face, though anyone could see the smile in her eyes.

Coral gasped, letting Trollex go and zipping over to his mom and dad, tackling them in the air and sending them all into a spin. As they came to a stop in the air, the three laughing and clinging to each other, Trollex couldn’t help but smile, remembering the way his parents hugged him when he was young.

Beat sighed softly, smiling. “I’m glad I convinced the other leaders to bring him. They were really against the idea, but… I thought it was a good idea! Turns out people should listen to me a bit more often!”

Trollex tried to hide a grin. “Hm? Sorry Beat, I wasn’t listening.” 

He nearly broke his composure when Beat gasped sharply, giving him an indignant look. “Ah! How DARE you sir!” Beat harrumphed. 

Trollex snickered and rubbed the Button fish’s head affectionately. “I’m just joking, you Tuna. Calm down.” He gave his friend another hug, just enjoying the moment of peace. He had a suspicion it would be his last for a while.

As though to confirm his suspicions, He heard some of the Dark Ambient trolls in the crowd beginning to mutter, the Guardian on his head letting out a small whimper before leaping down, making its way towards king Sheo and the other royals, all three of which were looking worriedly at the sparking green crystal mounted in King Sheo’s staff.

Trollex zipped down to get a better look, feeling a strange electricity race across his scales as he approached. He stared at it, and then looked between the three royals. “I take it that doesn’t happen often?”

Sheo shook his head, glancing down as the Guardian grew in size, taking up its towering wolf form as the crystal glowed a bit brighter. “This crystal has always been passed from king to king, weather born to the role or not… When Vespa’s father handed it to me at our union, I was terrified of it at first… it’s what controls the darkness, or, at least it’s what helps us guide it.” He blushed a bit. “I think control is way too strong a word for what little we can do.”

Myla nodded, stepping over to pet the Guardian. “Basically the crystal gives us a connection to Fluffy here… But they can still do their own thing. Actually, Fluffy and the barrier are one in the same… both formed of the living darkness.”

Trollex perked up a bit, and glanced up towards where Beat and Coral had fallen in from. He felt something tugging at him again, and looked back towards the family. Vespa gave him a look of deep concern, and he had a feeling she knew what was coming next. 

“I’m going to go talk to the Blush family.” Trollex zipped off into the sky. He didn’t want to say he’d be right back, that would be a lie. He didn’t want to say he’d be back at all… no matter how this turned out; he had a feeling that would be a lie, too. Either what he does next takes them all to the surface, or…

He shook his head, stopping in front of the blush family, who were still hugging each other. He cleared his throat to get their attention, which worked. As the three looked over at him, he couldn’t help but feel his heart swell when he saw how happy they were. “Alright guys, I’m going to head out. Stay safe, alright? Stay together, and never get split up again.”

Before the Blush family could ask him why he seemed so tense right now, he zipped off again, this time making his way towards Dryya and Peter, who were chatting nearby. As he slowed to a stop, he held Beat out, looking down at his friend. Beat floated upwards, Flow having kicked in. “Trollex, what’s going on? You seem on edge now.”

Trollex smiled softly, then looked over towards the two Dark Ambient trolls. “Can you guys watch Beat for me a while? Just make sure he doesn’t tail me, and don’t let him do something crazy.”

Dryya gave him a half glare. “Like you’re planning?”

Beat glanced at Dryya, then back to Trollex, fear evident in his features. “Are you really? Trollex, whatever you’re planning, let me come!”

He shook his head, guiding Beat to the two trolls. Once close enough, Peter reached out and gently took hold of Beat. The fish didn’t struggle, just looking sadly at his friend.

Trollex cracked a grin. “Come on, don’t look so worried! Everything will work out in the end.” 

He looked down at the stage again, and saw that the Guardian was staring at him. He could feel that tug again, and nodded a bit. It was time. 

The Guardian tilted its head up and let out a shrill howl, forcing all in attendance to cover their ears. Trollex winced slightly, but bore the pain. He needed to be ready. This would be quick… and painless, he hoped.

Suddenly, the Guardian leapt into the air, bounding to him in the sky. As it approached, Trollex took a deep breath. A moment later, he was latched onto the Guardians pitch black fur, clinging for dear life as it carried him up, up, up… He could see the barrier ahead, just a few more moments. 

As he was about to collide with it, he heard several trolls bellow cry out to him. He glanced back, seeing all of their terrified faces. He smiled, whispering under his breath. “It’ll be alright… I hope.”

He closed his eyes, braced for impact, and then…

Nothing.

Bellow, all gathered stared in shock at the place the young king and the Guardian had just been. They had made it through the barrier, but now none knew Trollex’s fate.

Myla turned to her father and mother, gesturing helplessly at the last place they had seen the colorful king. “Did… did he just do that? Seriously?” She sounded a bit Hysterical. “There’s no WAY he just…”

Vespa bit her lip a bit, staring upwards. “I… I hope I did not just send a young troll to his end…” She looked down, closing her eyes and clasping her hands. “I pray the Guardian can guard against the terrors…”

Sheo and Myla both looked down. Trollex was a great troll. Kind and caring, and always smiling when he can. He was strong in ways most trolls weren’t, even if he didn’t always see himself that way. They prayed for his safety, king Sheo clinging tightly to the staff. 

Dryya stared, her wings barely keeping her aloft. He was gone, just like that. He never screamed; never fell from the sky… He passed through the barrier. She could feel her arm tingling at the memories of colliding with the barrier. 

Peter hugged Beat a little tighter, struggling to keep the Beat drop button close. He had been asked to keep Beat safe, and he’d do just that. That definitely meant not letting the fish ram himself into the barrier. Only the Guardian could take him outside, and the Guardian had just vanished with the king of Techno on his back.

Beat cried out, struggling to escape from Peter’s grip, tears streaming down his cheeks. “TROLLEX YOU LIAR! You better come back, you hear me! If… If you don’t… If you don’t we’re not friends anymore! So you keep that fishy tail of yours safe!” He sobbed, his energy drained. He finally stopped struggling, letting Peter hold him close.

Atoll had known Trollex all his life. He and his wife had been good friends with the royal family before the former king and queen passed. To see a troll he considered family vanish so suddenly, especially pulling a stunt like that… He felt a deep dread, terrified that he may never see the bubbly young king again.

Anemone hugged Coral close to her chest, shaking slightly. After everything they had all been through, had they just lost their king, to?

Coral tilted his head a little bit, staring up at the peak of the dome. He looked at him mom and dad. “Mommy, daddy… where’s mister Trollex…?”

The world of the Abyss was completely silent for the first time in generations, all trolls, Dark Ambient, Techno, Classical, Funk, Pop, Rock, and Country. All the tribes in one place, and all feared for the king of Techno, sending their prayers to whomever or whatever might be listening to them.


	32. Stand up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darkness can be a true beast to the fearful, and a blessing to those willing to fight.

Darkness can be a truly terrifying thing. It’s impossible to know what lurks within, and anything can spring out and attack you. 

But it can be a comfort to. While it is true that danger can lurk in the darkness, it’s also possible to hide in it as well. It can protect and comfort as well as hurt and destroy.

This is the environment Trollex opened his eyes to. At least, he was nearly certain he had opened his eyes. He looked around to the best of his abilities, but still saw nothing. He blinked a few times to ensure that his eyes were indeed open, and they were. 

He looked down at his hands, and smiled. At least it wasn’t pitch darkness. He had his color and natural glow. He tried to concentrate, to brighten it, but to his shock and horror, his light dimmed instead. The more effort he put into illumination, the less light he cast. He panicked and stopped, returning to his prior glow.

“Where am I…?” He was a bit shocked to hear his voice like this. With nothing to bounce off of, it sounded… so small. He sounded like a child lost in the dark. 

He supposed that was actually pretty accurate. 

He clutched at his chest slightly, feeling that familiar carnal fear whenever he got caught in the dark. He didn’t mind darkness too much, but it had never been so… complete before. It felt like a living thing, wrapping around him and squeezing him tight.

He whimpered, curling in on himself. He could almost hear the jeering voices around him, calling him a coward and a fool for trying this. He had no idea what he’d be in for, he didn’t know what to expect… That’s when he felt something shift in his hair. 

He blinked a bit, and reached up; pulling out the Abalone shell his dad had given his mom. He smiled softly at it, cupping it in his hands as he admired the natural rainbow pattern to it. “Even now, after all this time, you’re still here, aren’t you guys? Please, I need help… I want to save everyone… I want to be their guiding light through this darkness. Can you please be mine…?” 

He closed his eyes and held the shell to his heart, focusing on his heartbeat.

He jolted when he heard the whispers again, coalescing into a single voice. “You really think you can take them from us, hmm…? How amusing…”

Trollex spun around, looking desperately for the source of the voice whispering to him. “W-Who’s there? Who are you…?”

He was met with nothing but darkness and silence, until that was shattered by a booming voice. “You don’t even know a trolls voice when you hear it? How pathetic!”

He jolted a bit, the light from his body illuminating a figure forming from the darkness; though to call it a troll was being generous. It more closely resembled a walking stick figure, draped in loose and wispy material, which seemed to be a part of the darkness that surrounded the two.

The figure chuckled, a deep, raspy voice that gripped Trollex’s heart with icy talons. He bit his lip, clutching his shell closer. The creature spoke, a voice that sounded more like a removal of sound. “You are the young king Trollex… the one who, through his own foolishness, killed his parents…”

He bit his lip, floating back a pace to put some distance between them, but the figure only closed the distance once more. “The one who decided to have a fun adventure across the world while your trolls suffered alone…”

He could feel tears pricking at his eyes. He screwed them shut, trying to block out the creatures voice. “The one who abandoned everyone to the darkness of the Abyss…” His eyes snapped open again in shock when the voice came much closer than he liked, and found himself staring into glowing white sockets where eyes should be, and a menacing grin that looked more like a tear in the universe. “How does it feel, young king of the Techno trolls, to be alone…”

Hey you  
Can you tell me when enough is enough?  
When you've pushed enough buttons and it's time to back up?  
Well, would you know when someone else has had enough of you?  
(Of you) Of you  
(yes, you)

As the creature walked circles around him, he let out a whimper, trying to shut out the jeering song. He could hear the echoes of other voices, taunting him, reaching for him, dragging him deeper and deeper into darkness and despair.

Just take a second, you should listen to yourself  
Everybody is to blame, but no one else is around  
Is any of it sinking in and making sense to you?  
(Of you) Yes, you  
(It's true)

He covered his ears, trying his best to get the voices out of his head. 

Is there no means to an end?

He curled in on himself, clutching tightly to the shell. He could feel his mind drifting to whatever dark place had bourn these monstrosities.

So tell me, how does it feel to know that no one is coming?  
No one is running  
When you hit the ground (you hit the ground)  
How does it feel to know that no one's around you?  
No one will be there  
When you hit the ground (you hit the ground)  
How does it feel?  
How does it feel to be alone?

For the first time in so long, he felt alone. He truly did. No one could come for him… (Why would they come for you, you young fool?)

Well, now that I've got you here and you're all alone  
Is there anyone you need to call before we move on?  
Well, is there anybody out there thinking of you? (It's true)  
Of you (yes, you)

He looked up, his ear fins pressed down against this head as he stared into the hollow eyes ahead. He felt like he was looking into a mirror… or his future.

I can see the empty look in your eyes  
Like someone came along, stole your heart, and left you to die, yeah  
I know the feeling 'cause you did the same things to me  
(Of you) It's true  
(It's true)

The creature was suddenly in front of him, hand pressed to Trollex’s chest, claw like fingers digging into the scales that covered his racing heart. He couldn’t pull away, barely able to let out a pained whimper.

Is there a means to the end?  
So tell me, how does it feel to know that no one is coming?  
No one is running  
When you hit the ground (you hit the ground)  
How does it feel to know that no one's around you?  
No one will be there  
When you hit the ground (you hit the ground)  
How does it feel?  
How does it feel to be alone?  
To be alone

He felt himself pushed down, though direction was impossible to tell. The creature’s claws dug in deeper, drawing pinpricks of blood to the surface as he let out a cry. He could feel the sharp edges of the Abalone shell digging into his palm.

So tell me, how does it feel to know that no one is coming?  
No one is running  
When you hit the ground (you hit the ground)  
How does it feel to know that no one's around you?  
No one will be there  
When you hit the ground (you hit the ground)  
How does it feel?  
How does it feel to be alone?

He opened his eyes a crack, staring at the manic expression on the creature above him. He wasn’t alone…

To be alone

He gripped the shell a bit tighter, focusing on the hard shell, the sharp edges, and the strength the Abalone had.

To be alone

He pulled his arm back, and grinned up at the creature. 

To be alone

“But I’m not…!” He swung his fist, connecting with the creatures face, and to his surprise, passed right through. He blinked in shock, sitting up and running a hand over the place the claws had been digging into him. To his shock, there was no blood, or even a cracked scale. 

He chuckled as the creature reformed a few paces ahead of him, scowling. “You know, if you had done this before… like when I first lost my color, or my parents, I might have bought into that… I might just have let you take me away to whatever terrifying place you had planned…” 

He gave a little shrug, and a grin split his face. “But I’ve got trolls I have to get home to.” He opened his palm and looked down at the shell, and to his surprise, it was glowing. 

He felt something touch his shoulder, or perhaps the ghost of something. He glanced over to his right, and was shocked to see his mother. A look to his left and he saw his father. Tears welled up, and he closed his eyes, feeling more figures forming behind and around him. 

When next he opened his eyes, he saw all the rulers he had befriended. He could see each and every Techno troll in his tribe. He could see the Dark Ambient trolls, and the other friends he had made along the way, like the Reggaeton trolls, K-pop, the Snack pack, Bach, and even Beat was there… 

He returned his attention to the creature, who looked fearful now, despite trying to maintain his terrifying composure. “And what is this supposed to accomplish? They aren’t real! They can’t help you…!”

He shook his head. “Maybe not, but they’re all my family. My friends. Trolls that will miss me. Trolls that I need to help…” He closed his fist around the glowing shell. “And I plan on helping them. So if you don’t mind… I think it’s time you got out of my way!”

It ain't no mystery  
I'm all I have left  
I'm pushing back running you over

He dashed at the figure, throwing another punch that connected with its chest, knocking it back in the air. He didn’t let up, chasing after them.

I've been thrown down,  
Run around  
Beaten 'til I hit the ground  
I'm telling you right now that it's over

“I refuse to let you talk down to me… or anyone else!” He puffed his chest out, a smug grin crossing his features. “Not even me. Not anymore.”

There's no room for mistakes  
All the parts are in place  
Say what you will but say it to my face  
Better back the fuck up  
Better shut the fuck up  
I'll do what I want  
And I'll never give up

He could feel the blood rushing through him, giving him energy as his natural glow brightened, aided by the light of the shell encasing his hand, and the trolls of light formed behind him. 

I won't be broken  
I won't be tortured  
I won't be beaten down  
I have the answer  
I can take the pressure  
I will turn it all around

He turned from the creature, which now shrank from him and his light. He looked over the trolls of light, and smiled.

Lift me up above this  
The flames and the ashes  
Lift me up and help me to fly away  
Lift me up above this  
The broken, the empty  
Lift me up and help me to fly away

The trolls each shifted from their current forms to wisps of light, which began to gather around him. He smiled at the figures of his parents. He had nearly forgotten what they looked like… 

I'm gonna change history  
Enlighten the world  
Teach 'em how to see through my eyes  
I'm gonna lash back check that fate as a heart attack  
Stomp out all the ugliest lies

He watched as his parents gave him proud smiles before fading to wisps of light with the other leaders, joining the glow that shone from him. He turned back to the creature, which now shivered and shied away from him.

You can't convince me to change  
We ain't on the same page  
I've had my fill  
There's nothing but rage

He moved forward, closing the distance between them both. He heard it hiss, though weather that was a threat or a fear response, he couldn’t tell.

Best get out of my way 'cause there's nothing to say  
Is that all you got because I ain't got all day  
I won't be broken  
I won't be tortured  
I won't be beaten down  
I have the answer  
I can take the pressure  
I will turn it all around

With a final cry, the creature dissipated, fearful of the light. Trollex cupped his hands together, and looked down at the shell in his hand, glowing brightly with its own light now. 

Lift me up above this  
The flames and the ashes  
Lift me up and help me to fly away  
Lift me up above this  
The broken, the empty  
Lift me up and help me to fly away

The shell lifted from his palms, and floated in front of him a moment, before zipping off. He followed behind, trusting the shell, his friends and family, and all those that depended on him to guide him from this darkness.

I won't be broken  
I won't be tortured  
I won't be beaten down  
I have the answer  
I can take the pressure  
I will turn it all around

He could see a pinprick of light in the distance, and laughed giddily. He was going to make it out!

Lift me up above this  
The flames and the ashes  
Lift me up and help me to fly away  
Lift me up above this  
The broken, the empty  
Lift me up and help me to fly away  
Lift me up to fly away  
Lift me up to fly away  
Lift me up

As he reached the light, he couldn’t keep his eyes open, screwing them shut as he felt his very being jostled as he exited whatever realm this was. 

When next he opened his eyes, he was in the sky, floating amongst the clouds. He blinked a bit in the light, rubbing at his eyes to clear any remaining tears. He looked down, seeing that he was still riding on the black fur of the Guardian, which looked back at him with a happy expression. 

He grinned at them, and gave them a scratch behind the ears. “Thanks… I have a feeling you’ll need this.” He held out the shell. “Go get the rest… bring them to… hmm, where can we hold everyone for now…? I don’t think any of the current territories can handle THAT many new trolls… Ah! I got it; bring them to the pebble beach beneath the volcano. It might be a bit scary, but it’s the best place.”

The Guardian nodded, before starting to run through the air. “W-Wait, hold on! Where are we going NOW?” As they bounded through the clouds, Trollex couldn’t help but admire the view. After a few minutes, when they broke through the next cloud, he could see the volcano up ahead. “Oh! You’re bringing me there before you go! I get it~.” He gave the Guardian a hug. “Thanks.”

With a cheerful yip, the Guardian final set down, its massive paws crunching over the stones. Trollex floated down, then held out the shell. “Here. Don’t be too long, ok? They’ve waited long enough for this freedom. But, if you can… bring back the shell?”

With a nod, it lowered its head and took the shell ever so gently in its mouth, before vanishing in a swirl of darkness. He turned towards the volcano, and smiled. “I should probably let Barb know the plan… maybe send a message to everyone else to, let them know I’m back.”

He flicked his tail and made his way towards Volcano rock city. He was back at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAAAAA I been excited about this chapter for FOREVER! I hoe you guys don't mind cinnamon roll swearing... I think after everything, he deserved a bit of a release. 
> 
> Song 1, sung by the darkness. Five finger Death Punch - To be alone  
> Song 2, sung by Trollex. Five Finger Death Punch - Lift me up


	33. Breach the surface

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the first time in centuries, the Dark Ambient trolls set foot on the surface... to bad they forgot a few things about it.

As Trollex made his way back towards Volcano rock city, he hoped he had at least a day to discuss things with Barb. He didn’t plan to keep the Dark Ambient trolls here, but it was the only place he could think of with plenty of space to spare and land to share. Besides, it was close enough to the ancestral home of the Dark Ambient anyway.

He just hoped that the other leaders wouldn’t be too angry with him. He didn’t regret his decision, or his desire to help those trolls, but even still, he had to admit he jumped the gun, and now had no idea where they’d live.

He paused as he floated past a bush, hearing a conversation from the other side. He slipped into the bush, wanting to find out what was happening. 

“Barb’s been going crazy Riff, you gotta do something! You’re one of her closest friends!” He recognized that voice! It was Queen Poppy! He glanced through the leaves, spotting Poppy and Riff sitting on the pebbled beach. Riff was hugging his knees to his chest, tugging at and wringing his hat he held in his hands, allowing his sloppy hair to fall any which way. 

Poppy looked tired, which was a shock to see. In the short time he’d known her, Trollex had never seen Poppy look so drained. Riff let out a quiet whine, biting his hat. “There’s nothing I can do, Queen Poppy… She’s anxious after what Beat told us. The other leaders are on their way, and thanks to her stress, she’s been snapping at everyone… There’s no way I can let her greet everyone, but I don’t think I can do it!”

She sighed, rubbing the back of her head. “I know, Riff… I still can’t believe it… a whole tribe of trolls no one ever even knew was there, and Trollex and so many Techno trolls are trapped down there, with no way out…”

Trollex decided it was time to make his presence known. “Well, not entirely.” He slipped out of the bushes, grinning at Poppy as he held his arms out. “Did you miss me, guys?”

He had expected some surprise, sure, and heck, even some anger! But… dead silence and an awkward stare he was not prepared for. He deflated a little bit, his brow arching curiously. “Uhhh… guys?”

Poppy stood slowly, staring at him. “Trollex…? I thought… we’d never see you again…”

Her voice seemed to have broken the trance over Riff, and he leapt to his feet as though he’d sat on a log. “BARB!” He ran off, screaming Barb’s name excitedly. Clearly he was on his way to let Barb know he was back.

Poppy, on the other hand, looked like someone had dunked her in sparkles. She leapt forward, catching him in a hug that would have popped a jellyfish. He laughed, hugging her back and spinning them both up into the air. 

She laughed, shrieking excitedly as she clung to him. Once they had greeted each other in what could only be called the most Pop way ever, they sat together on the beach, looking out over the ocean as Trollex told her about his time in the Abyss. 

“So wait, let me get this straight, there really IS a whole race of trolls down there, and… they’ve been mixing with other tribes since before the strings? Whoa… Trollex you’re amazing! When you first came to Pop village, you could barely shake a troll’s hand, and you just found a whole tribe! But… I thought that no one could get out of that place, that’s why Beat had to come.”

Trollex nodded a bit, stretching out his fins on the warm pebbles. “Yeah, but apparently there really was something I could do. I faced off against a really creepy shadow thing, punched it a few times, and ended up out here! I sent the Guardian back with my shell to help everyone get up here… I don’t know how long it’ll take them to be ready, but I told the Guardian to bring them to the beach here. I hope I hope I at least have time to warn Barb.”

As though on que, they both heard trolls approaching. They turned and Trollex beamed when he saw Barb, Riff and Branch running towards them. “Guys! Long-time no see!” 

He felt something tickling his instincts. Something about the grin Barb was flashing told him he was in for it. As she closed the distance, she suddenly leapt at him. “Trollex you dunce!” He managed to slip out of the way of her charge, just in time as she face planted into the beach. 

All present flinched at the impact, even Trollex. “Oops… Sorry Barb.” He held out his hand to help her up. 

She lifted her head and spat out a mouthful of pebbles. She took the proffered hand and pulled herself up with his help, before dusting herself off and spitting out another pebble. “S’okay. Think I chipped a tooth though.” She smiled at him, then gave his a swift punch in the arm, though it was like and amicable. “There, I feel better now.”

He chuckled, rubbing lightly at his arm. “OK, yeah, I think I deserved that.”

Branch stepped forward, his eyes sparkling nearly as brightly as Poppy’s did when she talked about a party. “Trollex! You’re back! So we were right then, there was a seventh tribe! You even got your green back! It was from them, right?”

Trollex was about to tell Branch about the Abyss, but he paused when he saw the curious looks of Poppy, Branch and Riff. After a moment, their eyes widened. They yelled at the same time. “YOU GOT YOUR GREEN BACK!!”

He deadpanned, looking between the three. “You… just noticed…?” Branch face palmed, and the two boys shared a chuckle. Some trolls weren’t the most perceptive. 

The group shared their laughter, Trollex happy to be back. The laughter died out quickly though, as Branch stared over Trollex’s shoulder. “What… what IS that…?”

He turned around, and saw a black swirling mass formed in the air. He grinned and turned back to his friends, floating upwards a bit so they could watch the gate. “Guys, meet my newest friends… The dark Ambient trolls.”

Their eyes were riveted to the black swirling gate as three figures began to step out of it, shielding their eyes from the light above. 

Sheo blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the light. “My… I never imagined it would be so… bright…!”

Vespa rubbed at her eyes. “Yes, I had always wanted to see the surface… seems we still must wait a while to actually see it.”

Myla was looking around, wonder painted on her face, even past the watery eyes and squint. “Mum, dad… look! It’s so pretty… ah!” The three jumped slightly when shade suddenly spread over them, muting the light just enough that they could see a bit more clearly. What they saw were two Pop trolls, using their hair to make an impromptu canopy over them. 

Branch stepped forward a bit, looking like a troll that just discovered music. “You guys… You three must be the royal family! My name is Branch, and this is Queen Poppy, Queen Barb, and her friend Riff.” He gave a small bow, which seemed to make Vespa rather happy.

Sheo gave a small bow of his own. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all at long last…My name is Sheo, this is my wife, Vespa, and our daughter, Myla.” He glanced towards Trollex, and smiled so brightly. “Trollex… Thank you.”

Vespa nodded, stepping forward to address the young king of Techno. “Yes… thank you, truly. We had nearly lost all hope… even my father told me not to look to this day, but… I never gave up, and you came to us…” She bowed deeply to him, catching him off guard. “We are forever in your debt…”

Poppy smiled brightly. “Well, on behalf of those of us up here, welcome!”

Barb gave Poppy a light shove. “My territory, my job! Don’t spoil this for me, Pop-squeak!” She cleared her throat, then set her hands on her hips and puffed her chest. “Yo! Welcome to Volcano rock city! Stay as long as you want!”

Myla smiled and ran back to the portal, sticking her head into it before pulling away again. She looked back at the group and grinned. “We might want to step back and give a bit of room.” As the group moved away, Poppy, Branch, Barb and Riff were riveted on the portal, watching as troll after troll emerged, all blinking and wincing from the light. Poppy gasped sharply as a Pop troll stepped through the portal. She knew they had other tribes, but to see a Pop troll so close to her own age was still a bit shocking.

When a little green blur darted out and into the air, looking around in a panic, Trollex felt his heart jump. “BEAT!” 

Beat stopped, and looked directly at Trollex. A moment later, and he took off like a shot, slamming into Trollex’s chest as he sobbed wildly, crying about how he was going to kill Trollex for the heart attack.

“Wait… Crash?!” Barb and Riff sprinted forward, pulling a Rock troll that had just stepped through the portal. They pulled him to the side, looking him over in shock. Barb rested a hand on her hip “I… how?! I thought you fell in the volcano!”

The new troll, Crash, gave a little shrug. “So did I, but when I woke up, I was down in the Abyss with the other trolls down there. It was really weird.” He looked up at the volcano, and grinned. “Glad to be back, but I’m not taking any more dares to walk the rim of the volcano.”

Before anyone had realized it, the beach was filled with trolls, who were all trying their best to adjust to the light as they talked excitedly amongst themselves. The children were all yelling happily and pointing at just about everything they saw.

One tried to take off, which was when a new problem came to light. The young troll fumbled in the air before getting blown off course, dropping back down to the beach. This seemed to start all the Dark Ambient trolls perking their Antennae, many now seaming a bit queasy as others tried and failed to fly, getting tossed about in the small air currents.

Sheo took notice, and spread his wings. “Seems there’s a bit of a problem we didn’t think of…” He leapt into the air, stumbling almost immediately as he tried to straighten himself. “Whoa! Alright, that’s the problem… we’ve never flown with air currents and winds before…”

Trollex watched the trolls from the Abyss biting his lip a bit. Maybe he could ask Trollzart to help? They had similar wings, for the most part. He certainly couldn’t help. Yeah, Techno trolls could sense currents and eddies in air and water, but… “Wait…” He looked up at Sheo, and gestured over his own head to call Sheo’s antenna. “Try focusing, Sheo. You all have a bit of every troll, right? Techno can sense currents, it helps us, maybe it can help you?”

The king nodded, closing his eyes as his antennae unfurled more, twitching slightly. Suddenly, he winced, looking ill. He thumped to the ground, groaning softly. “Don’t… don’t try that again… oh gods everything is spinning…”

Poppy ran forward, kneeling next to Sheo to help him up. Barb ran back, followed by Riff. “I think we should get them to the infirmary. They aren’t looking to hot… “

Trollex looked out over the trolls, and sure enough, most had fallen to their knees, if not lying sprawled on the ground looking nauseous. Luckily, Barb had run out of Volcano rock city screaming about throttling Trollex so loudly that a huge crowd of rock trolls had followed as sneakily as they could.

Some began to come out of the bushes nearby, helping the trolls to their feet. Eventually the Rock trolls had managed to help the former residents back to Volcano rock city, the Techno trolls that had been taken after the rave helped as well, being the ones most well-adjusted to the surface.

Barb looked down towards Sheo. “Do you guys have any doctors? We don’t know anything about you, but we need to, to be able to help.”

The king nodded weakly, and scanned the crowd. Amongst them he spotted a soft blue Dark Ambient troll with pale golden hair, who was trying her best to aid a child that was crying and clinging to her. “There… that’s Lily… head doctor…” He looked over to Barb. “She can help… she’s the best we have.”

Barb nodded, and sent a Rock troll to speak with her, and Lily seemed tense, but relaxed slightly when the Rock troll knelt down and began to help her and the child. Lily looked at the young troll and smiled. “You’re going to be ok...” She returned her attention to the Rock troll. “I’ll help how I can.” She began walking the other rock trolls through what they needed, fresh water, food, a place out of the sun, and somewhere to rest with little wind.

Sheo looked back towards the portal, then at Trollex. “Go to the portal, reach in… you’ll pull out your shell and my staff… after that, the Abyss will cease to exist…” He smiled. “It’s time for our trolls to finally move on from the darkness…”

Trollex nodded, and made his way to the portal. Once he was in front of it, he could feel that familiar sensation of cold from when he battled the darkness. He smiled. “I ain’t going to be scared… I already battled my demons.” He stuck his hands in, and felt a sharp tug. He grit his teeth, resisting getting dragged in.

As he resisted the pull, he suddenly felt something enter each of his hand, one small object, and one large. He gave a powerful tug, which set him, the staff, and his shell free. He tumbled through the air a moment as the portal shut, leaving the Guardian sitting on the beach.

As Trollex stopped spinning, he looked down at the staff. When he first saw it, it seemed to have a dark wisp spiralling in the green crystal on top, but now it was a pristine, clear green. He smiled, floating back towards Volcano rock city. He could see Poppy, Branch, Riff and Barb helping the royal family towards the city. It would all end alright. They were home, even if he didn’t know where their home would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... a wild ride indeed! There will be one more official chapter after this, and a sorta... epilogue after that. So I guess THIS time it's two chapters. But yeah, thank you all!
> 
> Lily, the named DA doctor, was created by the lovely Star-Powdered-glitter on Tumblr! She's a sweet heart that never fails to make me smile, and I hope to convince her to post the ref sheet she made for her! Next chapter Lily will be a big help, after all, she's the head doctor! And they all REALLY need a doctor.


	34. One door closes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At long last, Trollex's journey comes to it's close. As he helps those of the next generation to get their footing, he takes a moment to remind himself.
> 
> Damaged, broken, beaten. Even something that might seem worthless, can be loved.

Trollex hovered just outside of the room in which Sheo, Vespa, and Myla were being cared for. He held Fluffy, the Guardians smaller form, gently in his arms. He ran his fingers through Fluffy’s soft fur, staring out the window across the hall from them.

He had wanted to be inside, but Lily had insisted that he wait outside. He had to admire her determination though. She couldn’t even stand on her own right now, instead taking up Barb’s offer to give her a wheel chair and have one of the staff help her about.

He perked up when he heard footsteps coming down the hall, and he glanced over. It was Branch! “Branch? What are you doing over here?” He watched as the king of Pop sat on the bench across the hall from him, Fluffy leaping out of his arms and running to Branch, rubbing against his leg.

Branch chuckled softly, patting his lap to invite Fluffy up, which they happily did. “Not allowed to visit my friend? Trollex I know you’re used to being up here, but you really should get checked out! It’s been a week; your body would still have problems with the transition.”

Trollex did feel terrible, and had been spacing out a lot since he returned. He felt lethargic and cold, but he didn’t really think it was worth checking into. He waved a hand to dismiss Branch’s worries. “I’ll be fine, Branch.” He grinned mischievously. “After all, I did punch the big bad guy in the face.”

He went silent for a moment, his hand stilling in Fluffy’s fur. “You… did what to the who now?”

The king of Techno chuckled, and began to tell Branch the story of what happened between the Abyss and the surface. As expected, Branch was on the edge of his seat, listening with rapt attention. Once Trollex concluded, Branch leaned back in his seat, staring at the floor between them as he sorted through the story in his mind.

He was willing to give Branch time to think, but as silence spread longer and longer between them, Trollex couldn’t help but break the silence. “Something on your mind, Branch?”

A small nod was the only response for a few more moments, before Branch lifted his head and looked at Trollex. “What do you think it meant? When it said ‘you don’t know a trolls voice’? You said it looked a little like a troll, but skeletal… Was it a troll before, do you think?”

He perked up a bit at the thought. “I… honestly hadn’t put much thought into that… But I think whatever it was; it was definitely a troll before…” He hugged his arms, shivering a bit. “At one point, when it was getting into my head and under my scales, I… I had a moment where I thought ‘the same as him’…” He looked away. “I just thought it was my mind playing tricks on me…”

Branch hummed in thought. “I don’t think so… but I think I might have an idea… it’s just an idea, mind, so I wouldn’t put TO much stock into it…” At the curious look Trollex gave him, he continued. “Well… we know that whatever the Darkness was, it was connected to you, and to the Rainbow troll in the story… Do you think that maybe, that WAS the troll from the story…?”

“I… actually think you’re right, Branch. I can’t really explain it, but… that feels right.” He glanced at the green crystal at the tip of the staff. “It would explain a lot about the Dark Ambient trolls, and why they were singled out and sealed. The rainbow troll from the story was a part of their tribe, and angered the clouds. They sealed him, or… I guess used HIM to seal their race…?”

Trollex and Branch nearly leapt out of their skin when the door opened to the room, and Lily was wheeled out by a rock troll. She looked back at the troll, and gave a small bow of her head. “Thank you, leave me here and go take a break.” The rock troll nodded, smiling as she made her way to the nearest break room. 

Lily looked between the two royals. “You’re not entirely wrong. But there is a bit missing.” She looked at Trollex. “Do you remember the eruption that broke the continent? I’m sure King Sheo told you.” He gave a small nod, and she continued. “That was caused to destroy the Dark Ambient trolls, to punish the rainbow ancestor. He sacrificed himself to protect the rest, but it was a warped punishment… he became the darkness that sealed us, and so for generations, we hated him.” She sighed and shook her head. “It drove him mad… and he sought to punish other rainbow trolls as he had been.”

Trollex rubbed at his arms, feeling a shiver crawl through his scales. “Yikes…” His ears drooped a bit. “I could have ended up like him…” He hugged himself a bit, unable to get the chill to leave.

That seemed to catch Lily’s attention. “Trollex, have you been checked yet?” 

He shook his head a bit, smiling nervously. “N-Nah, but I’m fine! Just kinda freaked out…” He looked down at her, but found it a bit difficult to focus. 

She harrumphed, and looked over at Branch. “Can you do me a favor…? Grab him by the tail fins and follow me.” She began wheeling herself down the hall, Branch leaping up and grabbing onto Trollex before he can make a fuss. After a few moments of struggles, he relented and allowed himself to be pulled through the air by a chuckling Branch. 

It wasn’t long after that the two had him set down in a bed, Lily giving him a checkup. All three paused as they heard trolls coming down the hall, and it was clear they were running. Branch leapt to his feet and faced the door; taking up a defensive stance should he need to fight.

He blinked in surprise when he saw Poppy rip the door open, panting. “I…I found him!” She ran into the room and next to his bed, trying to catch her breath. 

A moment later, the room was filled with the other leaders, all trying to talk to him at once. He was having trouble choosing who to answer first, before Lily slammed her fist on a nearby table, and glared at all the additional trolls in the room. “Out.”

They left as quickly as they had appeared, though it was clear they were waiting just outside, based on the chatter he was still hearing. He looked over to Lily, about to thank her, when he saw her clutching her chest and panting a bit. He sat up in the bed. “Lily, are you ok?”

She sighed, shaking herself out a bit. “Scary…! Ooh, I hate crowds…” He was a bit shocked to hear that. 

“Wait, really…? But you’re a doctor; don’t you deal with crowds all the time?”

She shook her head. “Hm… not really, I’m more of a one patient one helper kind of doctor… to many people and it becomes difficult to help…” She moved back to his bedside, rubbing her lower right wrist. “Though I think I might need a pain killer after that…”

He chuckled softly, allowing her to gently push him back down to the bed. “Now rest, King Trollex. I’ll tell them they can come see you once I leave, but you should be alright. Your body is just coming down from an adrenalin high, so you’ll be a bit weak and tired.” She made her way out of the room, and looked back at him, offering a small smile. “And… thank you. For saving us all.”

Once Lily left, Trollex had a moment of quiet. He knew it wouldn’t last long, and he didn’t mind that at all. He’d missed all his family and friends, and was glad he could see them again. He closed his eyes and rested his head back, letting himself relax. 

After a few moments, Cooper poked his head in. Trollex opened his eyes and smiled. “Cooper! Been a while, huh? Come on in.” 

The Funk prince did, his ears pointed down as he gave Trollex a worried look. “Branch filled us in a bit. Are you ok? That all sounded SUPER scary…” He approached the bedside and sat on a stool, resting his head on Trollex’s lap. 

He smiled, and gave Cooper a light hug around the neck. “Yeah, I’m fine Cooper. I’m just a little tired is all. What about everyone? I figured you’d all come in at once.”

Cooper laughed nervously. “Well, dad’s outside calming mom, Trollzart is trying to calm Delta, and my brother is guarding the door to make sure no one storms in…”

Trollex gulped a bit, and perked his ears. Sure enough, he could hear arguing from outside, though they were doing an admirable job of keeping it down. He smiled nervously at Cooper. “How much more trouble would I be in if I snuck out?” He felt the pressure increase on his lap, and earned a half-hearted glare from Cooper. “Ok, ok, I was just kidding.”

A moment later, Cooper sighed. “Everyone’s been so messed up man. We’ve all been worried sick! Even mum and dad have been in a terrible funk…” He closed his eyes. “You’re going to stop doing this kind of stuff, right? I don’t think the older trolls can handle the strain… I think Trollzart nearly lost all his hair!”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at the mental image that brought to mind, and smiled. “I’m done Cooper. I have a feeling my biggest problem from here on out will be finding a place to help the Dark Ambient troll settle down.”

“Wait, really?” Cooper lifted his head and looked at him, his usual cheer returned as his ears perked up. “Pop village! We have a lot of territory there that is just sitting empty! There’s even a grove with really thick trees that stays dark and cool, even during the day!” He laughed, springing to his feet. “I’ll go ask Poppy what she thinks!” 

He bolted for the door, and a moment later Trollex heard a crashing sound. He grinned, figuring that was the sound of Cooper colliding with Prince D just outside the door.

Next it was time for him to face the wrath of Essence and Delta, who stepped into the room, looming over him. He gulped, sinking into the bed a bit. “Uhhh… Hi aunty Delta, hi, aunty Essence…” 

Essence perked up a bit, but Delta elbowed her lightly. “Stay strong…!” Though it was clear Delta was having just as hard a time as Essence was at keeping her angry composure. 

Trollex smiled nervously, tugging the blankets a little closer as he sunk slowly into hiding under them. “Uhhh… Did you guys need… something…?”

Delta nodded, stamping a hoof. “Yer darn tootin’ we do! We need you to stop bein’ a reckless fool!”

Essence stepped forward, using her height to her advantage. “Trollex, you keep disappearing, and when next we hear from you, either you’re hurt, sick, or trapped in an inescapable bubble under the ocean! How does that even happen?”

He looked down at the blanket, gripping them slightly. He sighed softly and looked at the two of them. “I’m sorry. I really am. But to be honest? I don’t regret any of what I did. I helped trolls that needed me, both my trolls, and the Dark Ambient trolls.” He smiled at them. “But don’t worry; I’m done being a crazy kid now.”

The two elder trolls looked at each other, stunned into absolute silence. “I… uh, we weren’t ‘sepcting THAT kinda answer…We kinda figured you’d charm us, like usual.” Delta was clearly having issues in figuring out how to deal with the unexpected reaction.

Essence nodded. “We’re happy for you, Trollex, but… you’ve changed so much! You seem so mature now…” She sniffled a bit, stepping forward and hugging him gently. “My baby boy, all grown up…!” 

He laughed, hugging Essence back as well. Delta smiled as she watched the two, but perked up when she heard the door slide open behind her. She glanced over and saw Trollzart and Quincy poking their heads inside. Delta waved them in, but nearly laughed when he saw that when they poked their heads inside, Trollzart was clinging to Quincy’s neck.

Trollzart lifted himself off of Quincy’s neck, hovering in the air. “Trollex…! I’m glad you’ve returned safely… we heard what happened in that terribly dark place. Are you sure you are alright?”

Quincy nodded vigorously, his glasses falling askew, which earned a laugh from him. “Guys, guys! I keep saying, I’m fine! I’d get up and show you, but I have a feeling you’d all be mad.”

They all nodded at that. He laughed again, holding his stomach. He loved all of these trolls. They were all precious to him, and he knew they all loved him. It’s the reason they were so worried for him. He felt a stinging in his eyes, and heard a small gasp from Essence as he felt his cheeks grow wet. “Trollex, are you sure you’re alright…?”

He nodded, rubbing his eyes with his wrist. “Yeah, I just…” He smiled at them all, though it had a bit of sadness. “Just… thank you. All of you.” He reached a hand into his hair and pulled out his shell, looking down at it. It had lost its glow, but it was still beautiful. 

Essence looked at it, then at him. “Your shell... Branch said it was important, but… why?”

He looked up at her, then to the other leaders present, Poppy and branch having now joined in with Cooper and Prince D. “It was the last thing my dad ever gave my mom, and the only thing that survived the shark attack. I think, cause of that, it just… became a link between me and them. When I was trapped in that darkness, it showed me my parents… and you guys, too. Same with the other friends I had made…”

Poppy looked down at the shell, humming in thought. “And you’ve been keeping it in your hair?”

He nodded, but rubbed at his shoulder absently. “Yeah, but that’s not the best place to keep it…”

She closed her eyes, tapping at her chin. “Hmm… I wonder…” She reached a hand up to her hair, and plucked a strand, wincing slightly as she did. She stepped over to Trollex, holding the hair in her hand. “Maybe we can make a necklace instead!”

Branch stepped forward, having pulled out a strand of his own hair as well. “We can make a thicker cord with more hair. That’ll keep it from breaking.” 

A look passed between the gathered trolls, before they all plucked a strand of hair as well. Trollex watched in stunned silence as Poppy gathered the strands, using her artistic skills to quickly weave a strong looking cord, which looked woven of rainbows. She then held out her hand, smiling brightly. “May I?”

He nodded, setting the shell in her open palm. He tilted his head curiously as she fiddled with it a moment, tying a few nots and crossing the cord over itself a few times before she held it up at both ends, and Trollex gasped. 

The cord was now wrapped gently around the heart shaped shell, holding it in a way that looked nearly unbreakable. He reached out, and Poppy gently set it in his hand. As he turned it over, he admired the fact that the cord of braided hair had a faint sparkle to it. He tied it around his neck, and let it hang. It fell into position right over his heart, and he grinned at them, tears threatening to spill again. “You guys… thank you…!”

He felt so warm and happy right now, he didn’t notice the sound of approaching footsteps. By the time he registered someone’s approach, they were already opening the door. When he saw who it was, his ear fins wiggled a bit. “Dryya?!”

The dark ambient troll stepped into the room, looking…. Only slightly less terrifying without her helmet and claw blades. She stepped up to Trollex’s bedside, and he was reminded distinctly of Delta when she loomed over him. “Uh, hey there Dryya, what has you up and about? Shouldn’t you be resting…?”

Dryya did look terrible tired, and still nauseous, but clearly the warrior wasn’t letting that stop her. Still, what she did next, he hadn’t expected. She knelt, hanging her head. “King Trollex, we thank you. I thank you. For generations, we lived in fear and isolation… but now, we are free.” She looked up at him, a rare smile tugging at her stiff features. “Thank you.” She stood again, her wings spreading slightly to help her keep her balance.

Trollex REALLY wasn’t sure how to respond to this, but he luckily didn’t have to break the tension himself. That was accomplished beautifully by Trollzart, who seemed to have noticed her torn wing, and let out a falsetto shriek that could crack glass. 

Every troll present covered their ears, but it was a lucky thing that Trollzart had been hovering over Branch of all trolls. As soon as the scream cut off, Branch was able to catch Trollzart as he fell from the sky. “What in the name of music just happened…?”

Quincy glanced at Trollzart, then at Dryya, and winced slightly. “Yikes… might be that wing of yours, miss.”

Dryya glanced back at her torn wing, then back to the king of Funk, her tough demeanor returned to her. “I’m part Country; I’m not going to let a torn wing stop me.”

Delta perked up at that, stepping forward. “What’cha mean, part Country? Ain’t ya a Dark Ambient?”

She nodded. “Yes, but my mother was a Country troll. She was brought to the Abyss after nearly drowning in her home, apparently.”

“Did this mum of yers happen to look anythin’ like me? Brown hair…?” Delta dared not get her hopes up, but… “Goes by the name ‘Aloe Vera’?” 

With a nod, Dryya set a hand on her hip, her tail lashing slightly. She didn’t like her mom being brought up, but she was curious how this Country troll knew her mum. Had they met?

Delta looked faint, holding her head a bit. “I… She survived…she…” Delta shook her head, stepped forward, and held out her hand. “I’m Delta Dawn, leader of the Country trolls, and by the sounds of it… Yer mum was my sister.”

The two stared at each other for a while, the tension growing once more within the room. That’s when Clampers poked her head out of Delta’s hair, looking about. “What’s goin’ on, Aunty?”

The difference was nearly night and day with Dryya, as she smiled brightly at Clampers. “Oh my, well aren’t you a cutie?” She returned her attention to Delta, the tension successfully devoured by Clampers perfectly timed entrance. “Sounds like you’re my aunt, as well. It’s nice to meet more family.”

As the two shook hands, Delta and Dryya began their own discussion, talking about Aloe as they tried to learn more about her life both before, and after her disappearance. 

Trollex smiled, but soon tried to stifle a yawn. Quincy noticed, and smiled down at the young king. “Maybe we should go. You seem tired, Trollex.”

His ear fins perked up at that, sounding oh so familiar… He smiled, and nodded. “I want to get a bit of rest… but first, I have to ask everyone…” When he saw everyone was paying attention, save of course for Trollzart, he continued. “Um, someone will have to fill Trollzart in later, but… The Dark Ambient trolls need somewhere to live… They need help up here, but… I’m just one troll; I’m not sure where to go from here…”

Poppy laughed, clapping her hands together. “Trollex, would you just relax? We’ll take care of this. We have plenty of room in Pop troll forest!”

“We got some empty houses in Lonesome flats, if’n there’re any of the Dark Ambient trolls that wanna live there.”

“Same with Vibe city. All are welcome in our home.” Quincy nuzzled Essence, who nodded in agreement. Even Cooper and D seemed excited at the prospect of new trolls coming to hang out.

Branch looked down at Trollzart and smiled. “Trollex, I think even Trollzart will want to help where he can. I think you know we’re not going to let you do this alone.”

Trollex smiled brightly, a hand resting over the shell. “Thanks, you guys…” He yawned again, which everyone present took as their cue to take their leave. Each in turn saying goodbye to Trollex as he lay down on the bed, sighing softly. As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn’t help but feel proud of how far all the trolls had come since the strings had divided them.

A few days later, and Trollex was back on his fins and helping to organize joint classes with the Classical trolls to teach the Dark Ambient trolls to better handle flight in the upper world. He spent a lot of times with Myla, Vespa, and Sheo, who were constantly wandering off, usually following after some glow bug or other colorful or bright critter. 

He couldn’t entirely blame them; he was nearly the same with everything new and wonderful when he came to the surface. Since he had returned, he’d spent nearly no time in Techno reef, acting as an Ambassador between the Dark Ambient trolls and the other tribes.

Beat always followed Trollex, never leaving his side unless absolutely needed. He had MORE than enough of Trollex sneaking off to get into trouble, and no amount of assurance from the mischievous king could quell his worry. 

There was still much to be done, but Trollex knew he’d never have to do it alone. Not anymore. He smiled brightly to himself as he held onto the shell. 

It had been beaten, worn out, cracked, and to anyone else would have seemed broken. But he knew better.

He was better. He’d be just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it… it’s done. Faded Rainbows main story has finally been concluded! I hope you all enjoyed this wild ride, and I can’t thank you all enough. You all have given me the courage to pursue things outside of my comfort zone, so to all of you who stuck with me to the end, you all helped shaped this story. Your reactions, your comments, your art, videos… everything. You all gave me the energy and courage I needed to get through a dark place in my life. 
> 
> So to all my readers, past, present and future, you all are fantastic! Stick around, cause I’m not done just yet! Next up, the SU crossover!

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: https://sinnamon-bunnys.tumblr.com/
> 
> Feel free to get a hold of me with any questions and concerns, as well as art posted for the story! Of course that's not all I post, but I hope anyone that comes enjoys the ride!


End file.
